Selection of research topics

After receiving the messages from ECA and REAC about an opportunity to make a research on one or more topics related with educational advising, I had to start a small research on the issues which are important for my center and for the region where I work. It took me about a month to evaluate the needs of both my customers and my colleagues working in the region, and to make a final selection of my research topics. I have found that among the questions asked by the visitors or correspondents of my advising center there was one which I was not ready to respond completely and accurately at that moment. It the issue of distance learning. A number of inquiries related with distance education grows from year to year, and they were becoming more sophisticated. Moreover, the number of offers on distance learning programs from universities in Ukraine and abroad is also growing. And at that moment I felt that I am not ready to provide comprehensive information about the principles of distance learning programs, criteria for program selection, pros and contras of distance education, etc. I therefore selected distance education as one of my research topics.

Another topic I have chosen was related with professional development of educational advisors. I noticed that many of my colleagues ether were not using websites as tools in their work, or their websites were not effective because of wrong structure, design, and information presented.

The spin-off process I faced in 1998 resulted in contradictions between growing number of inquiries from visitors or correspondents and limited financial, technical and human resources of our center which started operating in a form of non-governmental organization. I had to make changes into the operation strategy. One of them was development of our website presenting our organization, facilities, resources, and basic information on the issues related with education in colleges or universities in the United States. The website soon became an important tool in our work, which helped us to save our time, administrative and even human resources. In early September 2003 I organized and held a training on web design for Ukrainian advisors in my center. It resulted in two new and one renovated websites. The feedback from participants demonstrated the need in such training, and highlighted the most important topics that should be covered in next training sessions. That is why I choose web technology (especially) web design as my second topic.

Training: Web Design

I am very grateful to the College Board, and especially to Janine Farhat for the assistance in selection the school where I had to take courses in web design.

I took my courses from Thomas J. Piwowar & Associates (TJP&A), professional computer training school. I signed for three classes – HTMLPro, Getting to Know Fireworks, and Fireworks for Web Graphics. These topics were chosen because I felt I did not have enough knowledge in HTML programming which is a kind of fundamental in web design, and work with web graphics which is one of key elements in web design.

Although I had some skills in designing and programming web sites with use of more advanced technology (php, SQL, etc.), my HTMLPro class was very helpful. My teacher explained me how to create and manage different elements of a website (forms, buttons, tables) and not to spend money for expensive software, but to use html codes which are free of charge and simple in programming for those who do not have enough experience in work with advanced technologies. Since I was the only student in that class, it was very good for me – I had a chance to ask my teacher the questions related not only with HTMLpro, but also with web servers, routers, advanced web programming etc.

Another two classes – Getting to Know Fireworks and Fireworks for Web Graphics were also very helpful for me, as they taught me how to design, create and optimize graphics and images on the web in order to make websites useful, attractive, readable and fast.

All these skills were used in preparation of my presentation “Educational Advising Websites: DOs & DON’Ts” during the Eurasian Regional Conference in August 2004 in Moscow. I also would like organize a training on web design for those educational advising centers in Eurasia that do not have their own websites, or the centers whose websites need to be redesigned.

Distance Learning

Within this research topic Viktar Khotsim, my colleague from Belarus, and I had a meeting at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) with Dr. Eugene Rubin from Office of Instructional Development, and Ms. Yuliya Nemchinova, Graduate School IT Liaison & Distance Education Coordinator for the Management of Technological Systems.

Dr. Rubin and Ms. Nemchinova were very kind to answer all our questions related with distance learning. We were asking questions related with different methodological, technical, institutional and financial aspects of distance education.

The following strengths and challenges of distance education shaped out of our conversation:

Strengths

•  high-quality education from American university or college;
•  recognized degrees and diplomas;
•  personal mentorship;
•  on-line and off-line consultations;
•  no need to stay in a class;
•  no need to come to the United States personally;
•  no need to apply for student visa;
•  no travel expenses;
•  no living expenses;
•  ability to combine work and study.

Leadership Training

Although I did not choose this topic as a part of my PAL program, I am very happy that I took part in this training held by Debbie Hefferon, College Board Consultant.

This training not only helped me to interpret and understand my personal profile according to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), but also to somehow revise and improve my relations with colleagues, co-workers and volunteers. Later I used the knowledge and skills from this training in attracting and training new volunteers who came to work in my center. I feel now that I can be a mentor for my colleagues in other cities or regions, and be helpful to them if they need any assistance from me; I can now also work as a coach in web site development or other technology issues.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank Phillip Ives and Dorothy Mora from ECA, and the College Board staff (Theresa Schweser, Janine Farhat, Carol Blythe) for perfect professional development program for advisers.
I want to thank Debora Hefferon for very useful and wonderful leadership training.
I want to thank Dr. Eugene Rubin and Ms. Yuliya Nemchinova for their explanations of visible and hidden aspects of distance education.
I want to thank the TJP&A teachers for excellent classes on HTML and web graphics.

  Andriy Hatalyak
  Director / Educational Adviser
  Osvita Educational Advising Center
  Lviv, Ukraine
  Web: www.osvita.org

09/17/04

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