A Case Study
of eLearning in ASEAN
at Assumption University
of Thailand
Prof.Dr. Srisakdi Charmonman
www.charm.au.edu
[email protected]
Board Chairman and CEO
College of Internet Distance Education
Assumption University
Invited Speaker, 2nd ASEAN Education Forum
“Bridging the Knowledge Gap within the ASEAN Community:
Education for All”.
Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam, November 19, 2008
A Case Study of eLearning in ASEAN
at Assumption University of Thailand.
1. Introduction.
2. First eLearning Law in Thailand.
3. College of Internet Distance Education.
3.1 Ph.D. in eLearning Methodology.
3.2 M.Sc. in Management.
3.3 M.Sc. in ICT.
3.4 Certificate Program for SMEs.
3.5 eLearning for Bedside Chorus.
4. Concluding Remarks.
2
1. Introduction.

One of the leading organizations supporting
quality eLearning
is the Sloan Consortium:
- Survey Reports
- Journal of Asynchronous Learning
Networks
- Sloan-C Effective Practices
- Conference
- Training
- Etc.
3
www.sloan-c.org
4
Introduction (Cont.)

The College of Internet Distance
Education of Assumption University
is an Institutional Member
of Sloan Consortium.
5
Introduction (Cont.)



eLearning is gaining more and more
popularity all over the world,
including in ASEAN.
University level: no field of study
where eLearning is not used.
Short courses and training level:
formal academic institutions, learned
societies and companies are providing
eLearning.
6
Introduction (Cont.)
K12: State of Michigan passed
the first law in the world
requiring eLearning
in high schools.
Each year 450,000 students
take eLearning.
K12: State of Florida passed a law
allowing K12 students
to study in eLearning mode
for all the courses, if anyone wishes.
7
2. First eLearning Law in Thailand.

On April 25, 2002, Prof. Charmonman
proposed and got approval from the Board
of Trustees of Assumption University (AU)
to establish the first eLearning College
in Thailand:
- The College of Internet Distance
Education announced that the College
would eventually serve 100,000 students
per year.
8
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)


If the College of Internet Distance
Education has 100,000 students,
at 100,000 baht each, the revenue
per year is 10 billion baht.
If the expenses are 6 billion baht,
the net profit is 4 billion baht per year.
9
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

In the year 2002, he also met
the Prime Minister at that time
and proposed to him
that Thailand legalize eLearning.
- The former Prime Minister agreed
and advised him to start the process.
- So, he sent a letter to the Minister
of University Affairs asking permission
for Assumption University to offer its
degree programs in the eLearning mode.
10
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)
- Prof. Charmonman also authored
the first draft of the first eLearning
decree in Thailand.
- The government established a committee
to consider the law and he was invited
to be a member.
11
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

AU team met the Minister of University
Affairs and tried to convince him
to support eLearning.
- Rev.Bro.Dr. Prathip Martin Komolmas,
the President Emeritus.
- Rev.Bro.Dr. Bancha Saenghirun,
the President.
- Prof. Charmonman, the College CEO.
12
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

As the Founder and Chairman
of ABAC Poll, Prof. Charmonman
ordered an eLearning survey in 2003
which founded
- 77% of the sample were interested
in continuing their education through
eLearning.
13
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

November 26, 2003,
the Ministry of University Affairs
organized an open hearing
on the eLearning law.
14
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

As the President of the Computer
Association of Thailand
under the Royal Patronage
of HM the King,
- Prof. Charmonman presented
the draft law in the morning
and chaired the open hearing
in the afternoon.
- The results were used in modifying
the law.
15
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

August 2004, Prof. Charmonman
was elected Chairman of e-ASEAN
Business Council.
- At that time, the Thai Government
had not passed the eLearning decree.
- So, he tried to get help from ASEAN.
- He proposed to the ASEAN Ministers
that eLearning be promoted
by all ASEAN member countries
and the Ministers agreed.
16
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

Prof. Charmonman sent many letters
to the authorities.
- September 23, 2002,
he sent a letter to the Minister requesting
permission for AU to offer eLearning.
- September 15, 2003, he sent a letter
to the Prime Minister to speed up
the eLearning decree.
17
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

March 14, 2005, he sent another letter
to the Prime Minister that
Cambodia was ahead of Thailand
on eLearning and Thailand should pass
the eLearning decree as soon as possible
to be ahead of Cambodia.
18
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

After 3 years, 5 Ministers,
and many revisions of the eLearning law,
the decree to legalize eLearning
in Thailand was published
in the Royal Gazette on 26 October 2005.
19
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)

January 2006, AU became the first
university in Thailand to offer a complete
eLearning degree program,
Master of Science in Management,
with Prof. Charmonman
as the Program Director.
20
Thai Laws eLearning (Cont.)


In 2006, AU offered
two MS degree programs
and Ph.D. in eLearning Methodology
which is the first such Ph.D. in the world.
By November 2008, AU offers:
- Ph.D.
- M.Sc.
- Certificate Programs
- Bedside Chorus Program
21
3. College of Internet Distance
Education of Assumption University.

A success story is at the
College of Internet Distance Education
(CIDE) of Assumption University,
which is the first university in Thailand
to offer a complete university degree program
and the first university
in the world to offer the Ph.D. program in
eLearning Methodology.
22
CIDE of AU (Cont.)

The College is managed
more or less like a business
in the sense that it is headed by:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
similar to a university president.
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
similar to the Vice President
for Technology.
23
CIDE of AU (Cont.)
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
similar to the Vice President
for Administration.
- Chief Academic Officer (CAO)
similar to the Vice President
for Academic Affairs
24
CIDE of AU (Cont.)

The College of Internet Distance
Education was established
to offer eLearning without the purpose
of making profit. As a matter of fact,
about 15 US$ million was invested
to construct “Srisakdi Charmonman IT
Center” with 12 floors and about 12,000
square meters as well as all the required
IT and audio visual equipments.
25
Srisakdi Charmonman IT Center.
26
CIDE of AU (Cont.)

The College uses eBusiness for eLearning
in the sense that all the processes
are done thru the Internet, including
- eAdvertising of the eLearning
programs.
- eApplication where students submit
their applications thru the Internet.
27
CIDE of AU (Cont.)
- eInterview in which the admission
officers interview the applicants
thru the Internet.
- eAdmission in which the announcements
that the students have been admitted
into the programs are made
thru the Internet.
- eRegistration where students register
for the courses thru the Internet.
28
CIDE of AU (Cont.)
- eAttendance where students listen
to or view the lectures thru the Internet.
- eAssignment where students get
the assignment and submit their work
thru the Internet.
- eExamination in which students
take the examinations thru the Internet.
29
CIDE of AU (Cont.)
- eGrading in which the professors post
the grades and students read the grades
thru the Internet.
- eGraduation in which students
may join the graduation ceremony
thru the Internet.
30
CIDE of AU (Cont.)

The College developed its own
“Learning and Content Management
System” or “LCMS” from Moodle
and named it “SCITplus”
to indicate that it has been developed
at SC IT
or Srisakdi Charmonman IT Center.
31
3.1 Ph.D. Program
in eLearning Methodogy.
 Assumption University
is the first university in Thailand
to establish a college-level organization
specifically to offer eLearning.
 The first university in Thailand to offer
complete eLearning degree programs.
 The first university in the world to offer
a Ph.D. program in eLearning Methodology.
32
Searching Google
for “PhD eLearning Methodology”.
33
Ph.D. Program (Cont.)

Searching for “Ph.D. eLearning
Methodology” from Google.
- The first five entries are about
Assumption University.
- The first entry is about the program.
- The second entry is about the College.
34
Ph.D. Program (Cont.)
- The third entry is
the Application Form.
- The fourth entry is about logging in.
- The fifth entry is a paper
about the program.
35
Ph.D. Program (Cont.)

As of November 2008,
the Doctor of Philosophy Program
in eLearning Methodology is the only
such program in the world.
3.1.1 Graduation Requirements.
3.1.2 Nationalities of Ph.D. in eLearning
Methodology Students.
3.1.3 Nationalities of Ph.D. in eLearning
Methodology Applicants.
36
3.1.1 Graduation Requirement.

Assumption University confers
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in eLearning Methodology upon students
who meet all the requirements as follows:
1) Pass the qualifying examination.
2) Pass the dissertation proposal defense
and dissertation final defense.
37
Graduation Requirements (Cont.)
3) Pass English language test such as TOEFL
score of at least 550 PBT/213 CBT or IELTS
score of 6.5 or other English tests that are of
equivalent standard.
4) Have the dissertation or a part of dissertation
published or obtain an acceptance by a
scholarly publication with peer review.
38
3.1.2 Nationalities of Ph.D.
in eLearning Methodology Students.
 As of the year 2008, the Ph.D. in eLearning
Methodology program has six batches
which include students from 12 counties:
- USA
- Canada
- England
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Iran
- Philippines
- Paraguay
- Vietnam
- Mayenmar
- Romania
- Thailand
Approximately 45 % of the students
are Foreigners.
39
3.1.3 Nationalities of Ph.D.
in eLearning Methodology Applicants.

There have been applicants
from 19 counties:
- USA
- Canada
- England
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Iran
- Philippines
- Paraguay
- Vietnam
- Mayenmar
- Romania
- Thailand
40
Ph.D. Methodology Applicants (Cont.)
- Germany
- Japan
- Sri Lanka
- Gambia
- China
- Kenyaa
- Pakistan
 Similar to the nationality
of Ph.D. students, approximately 44 %
of applicants are foreigners.
41
3.2 Master of Science in Management.

There are over 300 students
in the Master of Science
in Management Program.
42
M.Sc. in Management (Cont.)

There are five majors:
- Small and Medium Enterprise
Management.
- Human Resource Management.
- Technology Management.
- Strategic Marketing Management.
- Business Management.
43
3.3 Master of Science in Information
and Communication Technology.

There are over 100 students
in the Master of Science in ICT Program
with 4 majors.
- Information Technology
- Computer Communications
and Network
- Computer Graphics
and Animation
- Technology Management
44
3.4 Certificate Program for SMEs.

As of November 2008,
there are over 20,000 students
registered free of charge.

The total number of potential students
is over 2 millions out of 9 millions
working in SME.
45
Certificate Program (Cont.)

The program includes 18 courses:
SME101 Concepts of Starting SME Business
SME102 Introduction to Marketing for SME
SME103 Financial Management for SME
SME104 Accounting and Budgeting for SME
SME105 Production and Service Management
for SME
46
Certificate Program (Cont.)
SME106 Sustainable Growth in SME Business
SME107 Analysis of Trends, Opportunities and
Strategies for SME
SME108 Creativities and Innovations for SME
SME109 Information Technology and
eCommerce for SME
SME110 SME Business and Advanced
Marketing
SME111 Risk Management and Internal
Control for SME
SME112 Business Plan for SME
47
Certificate Program (Cont.)
SME201 The Roles of the Office of Small and
Medium Enterprise Promotion
SME202 Promotion of Brand Names
SME203 Knowledge Management for SMEs
SME204 Cost Management
SME205 Import and Export
SME206 Supply Chain Management
and Logistics
48
3.5 eLearning for Bedside Chorus.

CIDE has cooperated with the
Hospice Foundation of Thailand
to produce “eLearning for
Bedside Chorus for Palliative Care”.
49
eLearning for Bedside Chorus (Cont.)
 Ten songs have been implemented
 CIDE provides the service
free of charge or as a charity:
- Courseware on how to sing
- Singing lessons
- Delivery of the courseware
50
4. Concluding Remarks

There is no field of study
at the university level
where eLearning has not been used.

Degree programs in the eLearning mode
in all ASEAN countries
should be accredited.
51
Concluding Remarks (Cont.)

There should be a central clearinghouse
for all eLearning programs in all ASEAN
countries and citizens of the ASEAN
countries should be encouraged to enroll
in the program of their choices.

All parties in all the ten ASEAN countries
should cooperate in using eLearning for
the benefits of all concerned.
52