In this article we present the results of the project called “Using of ICT and new generation networks platform in education”, which were carried out within the state program of research and development at the University of Zilina in cooperation with five another Slovak universities. The main goal of the project was to support the complex and effective ICT utilisation in education by means of the e-learning system creation and its implementation in the educational process at the universities. The research in the project was divided to two main parts. The first part was dealing with the structural tasks of e-learning what means new learning methodologies and changes in the educational process. The second part was concentrated to the infrastructural tasks connected with the information & communication technology. The main results of both parts of the solution are described in the article.

The progress in the information technologies has impact not only in the area of computer sciences, but also in the area of education. The system SYNTLOG is e-learning system for synthesis and diagnostics of combinational and sequential logical circuits. This system is based on modularity; every module in e-learning part consists of theory and application program for given problem. The system is available by Internet and can be used by students at home or on other places. This paper presents main characteristics of this e-learning system, its utilization in educational process and also structure of individual parts of this system and references between modules of the system.

This paper discusses the pedagogical grounds of E-learning in Distributed Data Network Laboratory –project (Edinet). The Edinet-project aims at to establish an e-learning environment which is based on the ideas of life-long learning. In the project seven European universities create semi-virtual campus in the field of Information Technology to support development of modern competences of students, teachers, researchers and other experts. The paper introduces the technical solutions for the semi virtual campus and the pedagogical principles that guide the piloting phase and development of the modules in the partner universities.

The paper describes a remotely accessible laboratory system that allows performing experiments remotely from anywhere across the Internet via web interface as well as locally in the classroom. The system is aimed at courses of advanced digital design and signal processing using complex Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platforms. It is a powerful tool that allows students the full access to laboratory equipments and FPGA platforms remotely from any remote terminal with any common web browser and standard remote desktop interface. The system consists of Altera development FPGA kits, suitable instrumentation and a PC running an interactive LabView based software including a Graphical User Interface (GUI). A logic analyzer, a digital storage oscilloscope, and a pattern and arbitrary waveform generators are part of the workplaces to enable testing and debugging of FPGA applications under development.

This work reports on a novel use of Information and Communication Technologies for composing an electronic book on the measurement field. The e-book “Laboratórios de Instrumentaçao para Mediçao/Laboratories of Instrumentation for Measurement” is written in Portuguese and in English. Dealing with concepts, methods, procedures and hands-on activity it combines sketches, figures, animations, videos and remote and virtual labs on the measurement area, integrating many types of multimedia within the written material. The main goal of this work is to push the users to experimental practice so as to improve the conceptual knowledge, to identify many error sources when measuring and clarify how to minimize them. The online experiments related with different subjects within the e-book are accessible for any interested user. All other set-ups described in the work are described in full detail in order to be easily reproduced by anyone, anywhere, and making it possible to easily replicate the experimental activity.

One of the still open gaps in modern e-learning platforms is the lack of adaptation of learning process regarding well-structured learner models. The paper presents an adaptive model of hypermedia learning courseware and the processes of its construction and delivery. Next, it sketches the software architecture of an adaptive hypermedia system (AHS) being under development at Sofia University, Bulgaria. Unlike other AHS, the present one does support of adaptive navigation, presentation and content selection without defining complex rules for controlling narrative storyboards. There are discussed authoring and instructional design of hypermedia courseware for adaptive delivery, and the work process of the adaptive engine for delivering learning objects in a way adapted to a well-structured learner model. In order to illustrate our prototype, we provide UML use case diagrams of the authoring and instructor’s application and, as well, explanation of the workflow of the adaptation engine.

Quality assessment in e-learning is a dynamically developing area, aiming at an elimination of the effects of lack of FTF (face-to-face) contact with the teacher and with the learning team and at objectifying the objective as well as the perceived quality of courses. As ICT (information and communication technology) and e-learning develops, more and more ingenious techniques are added to the e-learning process. Benchmarking and quality control should not only make the learning content, process and context comparable, but also should enable the defining the highest quality solutions. The paper gives the work of some of the international Institutions working on quality assessment and promotion. It also discusses some of the new approaches to benchmarking and quality assessment.

This paper deals with experimental implementation of multiple IP streaming technologies in environment of Technical University in Kosice. Video streaming helps to bring new videos for comfortable and effective ways of studying. In IP streaming area was built streaming server using newest streaming technology available. Concept of this video server is based on utilization of client-server technology that allows real time data presentation. Available streaming technologies allows delivery of video content over IP network but according to TCP/IP properties there is a big need to find new solutions for high quality streaming. Some concepts, ideas and solution are presented in this paper.

To improve the quality of education, to reach a new audiences and extend the benefits of digital technology to previously unreachable populations, information and communications technology (ICT) strategies as well as e-Learning programs using wireless technologies are developed. A significant challenge in realizing the full promise of ICT worldwide has been lack of access, particularly in rural communities. Due to the narrow bandwidth of terrestrial access links and the enormous costs for increasing bandwidth in remote, sparsely populated areas and enabling IP-multicast streaming for these areas, a satellite overlay network using Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) technology has been exploited. This satellite network delivers live streaming content simultaneously to numerous users currently in operation. The prime aim is to investigate the potentialities of high-bandwidth IPmulticast satellite technologies for education. This technology addresses: streaming of audio/video, streaming of desktop screen, streaming of questionnaires, and the synchronisation of this streams. The paper gives an overview of the technical aspects implemented in order to achieve the successful activation of the different already integrated e-learning services. The paper presents packet- oriented services distributed via satellite and infrastructures allowing to receive these services also with return channel.