The document discusses the transformation of a Master's program into a distance learning program. It describes the Center for Statistics (CenStat) and its existing Master of Statistics program. For the 2014-2015 school year, 30 credits of the Master of Statistics program were offered through distance learning, covering topics in probability, statistics, regression, and bioinformatics. The program used the Blackboard learning management system and video platforms to deliver course content online. Future plans include offering the remaining credits of the first year and the full second year of the Master's program via distance learning.

1. Distance Learning
Transformation of a regular Master to a DL Master
2014
|
10
|
23
–
EADTU,
Kraków
(Polska)
Stephanie Verbeken
Researcher Blended and Distance Learning
CenStat / i-Biostat – Hasselt University, Belgium

2. Stephanie Verbeken
Researcher Blended and Distance Learning
CenStat / i-Biostat – Hasselt University, Belgium
Outline
1. Introduction: Censtat & Master Of Statistics
2. State of the art of the Distance Learning Program
3. Educational choices made
4. Conclusions

3. Stephanie Verbeken
§ Educational Technologist
§ Msc Educational Sciences
§ Distance Learning developer at
Hasselt University.
Who am I?
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

4. 1 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
Introduction
CenStat and the Master Of Statistics

5. § Division of I-Biostat (UHasselt + KU Leuven)
§ Research
o Applied
o Theoretical
o Commissioned research for companies
§ Education
o Statistics courses at other faculties of UHasselt
o Master Of Statistics
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
CenStat

6. Master of Statistics
§ International Program
§ 2-years (120 credits): 4 semesters + 1 summer
for Master’s thesis
§ Inflow typically from Sciences, Mathematics,
Medecine, Informatics,…
§ Nstudents(Ma1+Ma2)=60~90
§ 3 majors:
o Bio-informatics
o Bio-statistics
o Epidemiology & Public Health
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

7. ICP - program
§ VLIR-UOS = sustainable development
program of the interuniversity council
§ Master Of Statistics is selected as VLIR-UOS
program à scholarships for students from
developing countries
§ N = 16 per year
o 32 in total
o 30%~50% of total number of students
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

8. Student numbers
6
16
17
7
4
1
0
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
5
32
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
MA1 MA2
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
16
7
0

9. 2 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
State of the art of the DL
program

10. Motivation: why DL?
Attracting new target groups:
§ Working students: Belgium > Europe >
rest of the world
§ Students for BioInf: knowledge gap for
Bio-Engineers and Bio-Tech industry
§ Students with limited financial resources:
specifically students from other continents,
but also within Europe (e.g. Greece, Spain,
Eastern Europe)
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

11. Situation description
§ 2014-2015: 30 credits in DL
o Sem. I: 15 credits
• Concepts of probability and statistics
• Regression
• Statistical software (BioStat, EPI)
• Concepts of Bio-informatics (BioInf)
o Sem. II: 15 credits
• Concepts of Bayesian Inference
• Discrete Data Analysis
• Correlated and multivariate data
o Sem.I + II: Project – Learning from data
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

12. Situation description
§ Registration procedure is almost finished
§ Challenges so far:
o Examination: several scenarios
o Collaborations with other universities
o Input from lecturers involved
§ Challenges for the (near) future:
o 2nd semester of MA2: on-campus? Off-campus?
o Examination
o Promotion. (So far: none.)
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

13. Technological
§ VLE: Blackboard
§ Video platforms:
o Matterhorn
Opencast
o Camtasia
screencasting server
Situation description
Educational resources
§ Web lectures
§ Textbooks
§ Exercises,
assignments,
quizzes,…
integrated in VLE
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

14. Student Population
§ NDLprogram = 8 (~ 10)
§ Nsurvey = 5
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

15. 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

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20. 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

21. 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

22. 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

23. 3 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
Educational Choices Made

24. DL Principles
§ Information! Blackboard’s central role
§ Clear and intuitive course structure
§ Division of the materials in chapters
§ Peer support is preferred above teacher
support
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

25. 4 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
Conclusion

26. § 2015-2016:
o remaining 30 credits of MA1
o full-time study will be possible
§ 2016-2017:
o MA2
Future plans
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

27. Considerations
§ More challenging course designs
§ MOOCs? SPOCs?
§ Knowledge clips vs. Web lectures
§ Interactive videos
§ Sustainable collaborations (worldwide)
23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium

28. 23-okt-14 CC-BY Stephanie Verbeken, CenStat/I-Biostat, UHasselt, Belgium
Contact
stephanie.verbeken@uhasselt.be
+32 11 268 257
www.uhasselt.be/master-of-statistics
@stephanie_vrbkn
slideshare.net/stephanieverbeken