Integrating E-learning Platforms in Teaching/Learning. A Critical Review Upon the Virtual Campus Usage in UPT

Abstract

E-learning is an emerging trend in education. As one of the most used open source e-learning platform, Moodle became the solution that Politehnica University Timisoara adopted and adapted in order to ensure the access to online courses to the enrolled students. A generalized analysis on the platform, (comparative approach to the overall activity on the CVUPT learning management system) based on two sources (the administrator’s web interface of the CVUPT, and direct access to the database, where specially designed SQL queries were employed to return results relevant to the use of the platform) led to some interesting results: the number of courses has more than doubled and the number of active users has quadrupled (from September 2010 to September 2014). The overall use of CVUPT has increased and each year, a large number of new accounts are created. There is a dynamic growth in terms of integrating e-learning platforms in teaching and Learning, especially in distance learning programmes, as those run by Politehnica University Timisoara. Both students and tutors express their constant interest in using CVUPT learning management system, either as a main or auxiliary teaching/learning tool.