12 - Lithuania - Teaching methods
Study forms include contact hours, individual work and practical training. Various forms of delivery are
applied: lectures, seminars, laboratory work, project design, students’ independent work, work in the
library, group tasks, research work and other forms as well as a combination of these forms. Studies
may be Higher education can be pursued in the form of distance education, too. Class work (contact
hours) is organized in groups. Consultations may be given on an individual basis. The duration of class
work is measured by the academic hour (45 minutes). The academic staff in HEI may apply various
methods in their work. The materials delivered during lectures, or a lecture conspectus are often
available on the Internet. ITs have been introduced and are widely employed in the process of studies.
Some higher education establishments have centres (research, publishing, professional development,
computing, innovation implementation, etc.), institutes, gymnasia; in addition, they provide various
services (perform research, develop software, carry out analysis of materials, etc.).
Students carry out research in applied and fundamental sciences and take part in local and
international research programmes. In higher art schools, apart from research, artistic activities of
academic staff and students are developed, directed toward promoting unity of higher education and
creative work as well as educating society at large.
In seeking effective implementation of information technologies in higher education, the Information
Technologies for Science and Studies Programme (2001–2006) (ITMiS) was introduced. It is devoted
to one of the key areas of information society – science and studies, to creating, accumulating,
preserving and disseminating knowledge, and covers the main aspects of computerizing the
knowledge accumulated. The key objectives of the programme include helping researchers, academic
staff and students to access information they need. The objective of one part of the programme, the
Network of Lithuanian Academic Libraries (LABT), is to develop a Lithuanian virtual library through
automation of libraries, unification of search engines and access to electronic information sources and
virtual services. At the beginning of 2005 the LABT had among its members 16 university libraries, 20
college libraries, the library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and 39 state research institute
libraries.
The other part of the programme is setting up of the Lithuanian Distance Education Network (LieDM).
The objective of the project is to develop and coordinate a higher education and continuous learning
system based on information and telecommunication technologies. Among other activities of the Lie
DM are: the development and provision of distance education based modules and programmes,
creating an interactive and virtual learning environment, audio and video teaching tools, developing the
system of video conferencing, Currently there are 3 video conferencing studios, 7 video conferencing
mini studios, 2 regional distance learning centres, 18 distance learning classes, 6 distance learning
internet classes, 340 computerized work places as well as professional filming and editing studios
operating in the LieDM network.
Students buy textbooks and other teaching aids, or make use of the HEI library funds.
An open best textbook competition is held every year, the winners of which are awarded prizes by the
Minister of Education and Science. the selection process is organized by the Quality Assessment
Centre. The textbooks and their developers are nominated for awards by the Commission for the
Selection of Textbooks for Higher Education. Besides, there is the Commission on the Publishing of
Basic Textbooks for Higher Education Institutions operating under the Lithuanian Science Council,
which is responsible for the selection and financing the publishing of textbooks to be used in more than
one HEI of Lithuania.
Institutions:
Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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