Proceedings in pdf format. - Sociotechnical Systems Engineering ...

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND E-LEARNING IN THE STUDIES OF TOURISMSarma CakulaVidzeme University CollegueTerbatas str. 10, Valmiera, LV-4200, LatviaE-mail: sarma@va.lvKEYWORDSInformation technology, E-learning, study processABSTRACTThe aim of the paper is to show possibility to useinformation technology in study process of tourismprograms. Paper contains analyses of possible ways tointroduce student for using IT in everyday life, changingtheir personality, and making their creative experience.Paper is based on the research in the Vidzeme UniversityCollege. Using IT in study process of tourism is in threedifferent forms: computer course, research using IT ande-learning.IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS INREGIONAL DEVELOPMENTVidzeme region is a one of the most beautiful regionsof Latvia for tourism. It appoints necessity for qualitativetourism services to develop tourism infrastructure andperspectives.The mission of Latvia regional politics is toapproximate Latvia and regions to the level of country ofEurope contributing competitiveness of Latvia level withother countries of European Union. Differences indevelopment between local government indicate tonecessity more develop centres of economical growthcentres accordingly programs of regional developmentand territorial division.Vidzeme University College have possibility to studyTourism Organization and Management bachelorprogram and Tourism Strategic Management masterprogram. It is very important to give qualitativeeducation accordingly requirements of moderninformation society. Training of a highly qualifiedspecialist is only possible in a teaching and educationprocess increasing the potential skills, talents intellectualdevelopment enlarging the cognitive outlook anddirecting the student towards life long learning. Thisprocess is connected with objective contradictions:• Between disposition towards independency inthe selection of knowledge from one side andthe existing forms and methods of professionaltraining from the other,• Between the large amount of information andsuperficial knowledge from one hand and thequality of practical skills in a definite professionfrom the other.Hence, there are some new objectives of education:• To prepare the pupil and student for a successful andfast acquirement of new information,• To form skills of orientation in different informationstructures,• To develop habits of rational use of informationalavailable,• To develop skills of evaluating and selectinginformation from various sources.The research work set a problem: insufficientdevelopment of study methods and formation of weekskills of students in IT useORGANIZATION OF STUDY PROCESSIt is essential in modern study process to observe theprinciples of constructivity, interactivity, externalization,and instrumentation according to Brunner’s theory(Brunner 1996). The perspectives of education are hardlyimaginable within borders of a single organization or anindividual country, and determine necessity for a widerand wider exchange of information, which can betechnically provided by IT, provided it served the needsof the society. In the study process, it is important todevelop basic academic skills and highly organizedthinking and problem solving skills. Learning should nolonger be concentrated on individual work. Theory ofconstruction determines learning to be an active processin which a student constructs new ideas and conclusionsbased on previously acquired or actual knowledge. Thestudent selects and transforms information, sets aHypothesis, forms conclusions, changes based on thecognitive structure.Problem solving is an important part of the studentswork as it is a real test of knowledge and applyingprinciples in new situations, a test of studentsunderstanding takes place. Knowledge withoutimplementation is week that is why teachers can choseresearch work as an essential part of study work. THcognitive structure ensures managing and organization ofexperience. The faculty has two main tasks: deliverAnnual Proceedings of Vidzeme University College “ICTE in Regional Development”, 200613