The availability of education, including lifelong learning, is one of the value measures of quality of life in advanced countries. However, there are still significant differences between a township and a rural region. Centres of education are mainly situated in big cities; smaller municipalities are separated from these centres by tens or hundreds of kilometers (according to the conditions of the Czech Republic). While educating young people, it is usually accepted that they commute towards education; there is a whole range of social and cultural aspects; and above all, they have time for that - it is their main â€œworkingâ€ load. The opposite situation is the case in lifelong learning, which is conducted in parallel with full-time employment but is necessary for effective and competitive performing of the employment. For participants of lifelong learning it is impossible to commute big distances; their working load does not allow it. Thus, those forms, in which so called â€žeducation which goes to the studentsâ€, are chosen. ICT brings an enormous opportunity to bring education closer to the rural regions. A text form of e-learning is practically already standard; but a voice and image broadcast give us inexhaustible possibilities of usage. The aim of this paper is to propose and verify methods of distant (virtual) education with the use of multimedia tools.E-learning, virtual education, lifelong learning, rural development, multimedia, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Jarolimek, Jan

Simek, Pavel

Vanek, Jiri

English

Research Papers in Economics

 
[31] 
 
Agris on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics 
Volume I  Number 2, 2009 
Virtual form of education in lifelong learning - chance for the country 
J. Jarolímek, J. Vaněk, P. Šimek 
Department of Information Technologies, FEM CULS in Prague 
Abstract 
The  availability  of  education,  including  lifelong  learning,  is  one  of  the  value  measures  of  quality  of  life  in 
advanced  countries.  However,  there  are  still  significant  differences  between  a  township  and  a  rural  region. 
Centres of education are mainly situated in big cities; smaller municipalities are separated from these centres by 
tens or  hundreds of  kilometers (according  to  the conditions of  the Czech Republic). While educating  young 
people, it is usually accepted that they commute towards education; there is a whole range of social and cultural 
aspects; and above all, they have time for that - it is their main “working” load. The opposite situation is the case 
in lifelong learning, which is conducted in parallel with full-time employment but is necessary for effective and 
competitive performing of the employment. For participants of lifelong learning it is impossible to commute big 
distances; their working load does not allow it. Thus, those forms, in which so called „education which goes to 
the students”, are chosen.  
ICT brings an enormous opportunity to bring education closer to the rural regions. A text form of e-learning is 
practically already standard; but a voice and image broadcast give us inexhaustible possibilities of usage. The 
aim of this paper is to propose and verify methods of distant (virtual) education with the use of multimedia tools. 
Key words 
E-learning, virtual education, lifelong learning, rural development, multimedia. 
Anotace 
Dostupnost  vzdělání,  včetně  celoživotního,  patří  mezi  veličiny,  kterými  se  měří  kvalita  života  ve  vyspělých 
zemích.  Stále  však  existují  značné  rozdíly  mezi  městskými  aglomeracemi  a  venkovskými  regiony.  Centra 
vzdělávání se převážně nacházejí velkých městech, menší obce však od těchto center oddělují desítky i stovky 
kilometrů (dle podmínek České republiky). V celoživotním vzdělávání, které je provozováno paralelně s hlavním 
pracovním poměrem, ale které je nezbytné pro efektivní a konkurenceschopné vykonávání tohoto pracovního 
poměru, není možné, aby účastníci dojížděli velké vzdálenosti, neumožňuje jim to jejich pracovní vytížení. Proto 
se volí formy, kde takzvaně jde vzdělávání za studenty.  
ICT přináší ohromnou možnost na přiblížení vzdělání venkovským regionům. Textová forma eLearnigu je již 
téměř standardem, ale přenos zvuku a obrazu nám dávají nepřeberné možnosti využití. Cílem práce je navržení a 
ověření metod vzdálené (virtuální) výuky s využitím multimediálních nástrojů. 
Klíčová slova 
Elektronické vzdělávání, virtuální výuka, celoživotní vzdělávání, rozvoj venkova, multimédia. 
 
Introduction 
One of the principles of European civilization is an 
equal access of inhabitants to sources, services, and 
generally to achievements of human activity. There 
is a range of areas and places, where it is not like 
that;  for  instance  national  minorities,  women  and 
men,  young and old people, countryside and town 
etc.  As  for  a  solution  to  these  disparities,  it  is 
necessary  to  use  knowledge  from  different 
scientific disciplines for their elimination.   
The disparity of economic and social relationships 
between  towns  and  rural  regions  is  commonly 
recognized;  it  is  caused  by  a  whole  range  of 
historical,  geographical,  political  and  economical Virtual form of education in lifelong learning – chance for the country 
[32] 
 
phenomenon.  In  the period of development of the 
information  society,  the  potential  usage  of 
information and communication technologies (ICT) 
can be considered as one of the key tools for rural 
development.  
In  general,  it  can  be  said  that  the  contribution  of 
ICT for the countryside can be seen in the area of 
better  accessibility  to  information,  quality 
communication, accessibility of services, education 
etc. On the other hand, according to Salmelin et al. 
(2005),  it  must  be  emphasized  that  these  general 
phenomena will not be addressed without creating a 
mutual  relationships  and  the  involvement  of  all 
appropriate regional structures.  
Information and communication technologies (often 
substituted  by  the  “all-encompassing”  concept  of 
the internet) form a line that connects the course of 
rural  development,  and  contributions  had  to  be 
sought in  more effective ways, to bring economic 
profit. On this basis, it is possible to identify three 
areas  in  which  ICT  has  a  potential  to  stimulate 
growth and development for rural areas: 
-  Business support 
-  Business itself 
-  Improvement to quality of life 
A  benefit  is  to  make  rural  or  remote  areas  more 
attractive, to decrease their isolation and achieve a 
higher productivity through the progressive use of 
modern  technologies  of  a  knowledge  society.  It 
requires  a  systematic  innovation  which  means 
parallel  activities  from  a  view  of  politics, 
technology and social implementation – education 
has to include all this; Jarolimek (2007).     
Centres  of  education  are  mainly  situated  in  big 
cities;  smaller  municipalities  are  separated  from 
these  centres  by  tens  or  hundreds  of  kilometers 
(according  to  the  conditions  of  the  Czech 
Republic).  While  educating  young  people,  it  is 
usually  accepted  that  they  commute  towards 
education;  there  is  a  whole  range  of  social  and 
cultural aspects; and above all, they have time  for 
that - it is their main “working” load. The opposite 
situation is in the case of lifelong learning which is 
conducted  in  parallel  with  full-time  employment 
but  is  necessary  for  effective  and  competitive 
performing of the employment. For participants of 
lifelong  learning  it  is  impossible  to  commute  big 
distances; their working load does not allow it. 
The aim of the paper is to propose and verify new 
methods of distant (virtual) education with the use 
of  multimedia  tools  and  developing  from  the 
current  availability  of  network  services  in  the 
countryside,  the  description  quote  Vaněk   et 
al.(2008) and Šimek (2008). 
The development of education in remote and rural 
areas can be guaranteed only by the use of new e-
learning technologies. This term  not only includes 
the technical connection and contents, but also the 
transformation  of  all  pedagogical  systems,  so  that 
they  match  the need to acquire new skills and for 
lifelong  learning.  Education  and  training  is 
important  from  the  point  of  view  of  social 
inclusion,  as  well  as  reducing  the  difference 
between the availability of training in the rural and 
town areas, and thus improving opportunities.   
Objectives and methods  
The proposal of teaching  methods with the  use of 
multimedia  tools  was  proposed  on  the  basis  of 
theoretical  knowledge  from  researchers  and 
available literature. 
The pilot research study into lifelong learning was 
aimed at the target group 50+. Education within this 
group  has  a  motivational  as  well  as  a  social  aim, 
whilst  also  addressing  another  aim,  that  of 
professional  fulfillment.  It  was  carried  out  in  7 
consultancy  centres;  in  the  rural  area  of  Pilsen 
region  more  then  200  people  participated.  An 
educational course from the field of Forestry was 
developed  for  verification  in  a  set  of  4  lectures, 
each in length of 40-45 minutes, part of which was 
the  possibility  of  off-line  communication  with  a 
lecturer,  check  tests,  syllabi  and  recommended 
literature, including on-line sources.  
Feedback  was  obtained  on  the  basis  of  statistical 
outputs from LMS (Learning Management System) 
Moodle  used  to  provide  the  educational  process, 
and  also  by  questionnaire  enquiry  (entrance  and 
final)  by  the  education  participants,  as  well  as 
interviews  with  lecturers  and  guarantors  of 
education in the consultancy centres. 
Results and discussion 
The virtual education represents a  new alternative 
to  the  classic  attendance  lecture  education.  It  is 
based  on  the  use  of  new  communication 
technologies and the internet, and has components Virtual form of education in lifelong learning – chance for the country 
[33] 
 
 
Fig. 1: Examples of the virtual lectures Forestry and Fundamentals of forest mining. 
 
of distance teaching and e-learning. It can be also 
used as a suitable complement to classic attendance 
education.  
Modern  didactical  means  of  university  education 
are developing quickly. In connection with that, the 
new  areas  of  the  so  called  “media  didactics”  and 
“media pedagogy” have originated. Media didactics 
first of all ask how to integrate a component media 
into the process of education to reach optimisation. 
Media pedagogy  makes the  media themselves and 
their  usage,  the  object  of  analysis.  Both  are  very 
closely related and intermingled. Virtual education 
uses  these  theories  and  experiences  from  the 
practice of university pedagogy.      
Nowadays,  there  is  an  increasing  tendency 
throughout  the  world  towards  the  use  of  media 
means  of  all  types  in  the  field  of  education. 
Possibilities  of  interactive  technology,  and  the 
creation  of  systems  leading  to  an  active 
involvement of all applicants, have been analysed. 
For  instance,  Yves  Bertrand,  a  world-famous 
pedagogue, suggests the creation of open models - 
thus  right  virtual  courses  -  as  basic  general 
principles of media background arrangements.  
This  type  of  education  has  a  virtual  character  – 
multimedia  lectures  exist  only  in  electronic  form, 
they  have  never  been  really  held  in  this  form. 
Although  they  include,  among  others,  video 
sequences  from  real  lectures,  the  main  core  is  a 
professional lecture accompanying picture material 
–  filmed  in  exteriors,  laboratories,  details  from 
microscope  or  binoculars,  diagrams,  scientific 
pictures, computer animations etc. Part of that can 
be  also  sound  records,  eventually  supporting 
musical or other background effects. 
The  virtual  education  is  primarily  meant  for 
staff/worker  education  in  regions;  for  those  who 
cannot take part in lectures in an attendance form, 
for different reasons. Topical cycles of multimedia 
lectures, supplemented by  generated  tests for each 
lecture,  syllabi,  “Questions  for  lecturer”  and 
“Discussion  forum”  sections,  or  possibly  further 
study  materials,  are  placed  on  a  virtual  education 
portal. Registered students can return anytime to the 
virtual  educational  materials  stored  on  the  portal. 
The participants can go repeatedly either through a 
whole lecture, or its parts, according to their need; 
without  place,  time  or  background  limitation.  By 
answering questions in the generated tests they can 
test their grade to ensure topic mastering. Between 
working through the tests, they can look anytime at 
any detail of a lecture, which escaped their notice. 
The  participants  also  appreciate  the  fact  that  they 
can work through the test at their own pace without 
time restriction and stress. They also appreciate the 
possibility of asking the lecturer later - after some 
days, after they have thoroughly thought the subject 
over; whereas in classical education there is only a 
limited time for questions immediately after the end 
of a lecture. 
In  the  classical  presence  lectures,  the  participants 
carry off only what they managed to note down and 
remember; they have no possibility to return to the 
speech  of  the  lecturer  and  the  printed  study 
materials  never  fully  substitute  for  it.  The  main 
didactical  advantage  of  the  virtual  method  of 
education in comparison to the classic presence  Virtual form of education in lifelong learning – chance for the country 
[34] 
 
 
Graph 1: Advantages of virtual form of education (%). 
 
 
Graph 2: Interest in education in dependence on distance from residence/workplace (%). 
 
Indicator  Attendance education  Virtual education 
+  -  +  - 
accessibility     bound to a place and 
time 
unlimited by place and time 
24x7 
  
communication  personal  unrepeated  continuous, saved for 
further education 
impersonal 
comprehensibility     depends on the lecturer,          
repetition is not possible 
illuminating, use of 
multimedia, repeatability 
  
preparation  relatively 
fast 
      time- consuming and  
finance demanding 
costs  low initial 
costs 
high for repetition  minimal for repetition  high initial costs 
time demands  low initial  high for repetition (time 
of a lecturer is a limiting 
factor of repeatability 
and extensibility) 
minimal for repetition  high initial 
70
75
80
85
90
95
In light of the 
avalability
In light of the 
possibility to study in 
one‘s own pace
In light of the 
possibility to repeat 
subject of a lecture
In light of the 
possibility to study 
individually
Advantages of the virtual form of education (%)
Yes
59% 25%
9%
6% 1% 0%
Interest in education in dependence on distance from residence/workplace (%)
Reached by 
walk
to 10 km
to 20 km
to 50 kmVirtual form of education in lifelong learning – chance for the country 
[35] 
 
Technical 
background 
independe
nt 
      dependence, 
minimum of 
facilities 
computer literacy  is not 
needed 
   develops  at least minimal 
social aspects  exist     exists in group education  do not exist in 
individual education 
Table 1: Comparison between attendance and virtual education (Jarolimek, 2009). 
 
lectures is just based on the possibility of repetition 
– repetitio mater studiorum. 
Conclusion  
The  results  of  the  pilot  study  imply  that  virtual 
education  methods are usable in lifelong learning. 
They  are  particularly  important  for  use  in  rural 
regions  in  which  the  availability  of  contact 
education  is  a  problem.  The  contribution  of  this 
solved  project  can  be  seen  first  of  all  in  an 
application of  modern  methods in rural regions of 
the  Czech  Republic  where,  in  these  regions,  a 
respect  for  usage  of  information  and 
communication technologies still prevails.  
In relation to ICT it is possible to state that: 
-  students  quickly  got  used  to  the  new 
method of education; 
-  they stopped being afraid of working with 
a computer; 
-  lectured  topics  lead  them  to  further  self-
improvement  through  the  use  of  the 
internet. 
The evaluation of the virtual education contribution 
is also interesting; the biggest contribution has been 
seen in the attainability of the education. Our own 
question  is  therefore  answered,  as  well  as  from 
willingness  /  reluctance  to  commute  towards 
education.  The  possibility  to  study  at  one’s  own 
pace and to be able to repeat the education was also 
very positively assessed. 
Knowledge introduced in  this paper resulted from 
the  solution  of  an  institutional  research  intention 
MSM  6046070906  “Economics  of  resources  of 
Czech  agriculture  and  their  efficient  use  in  the 
context of multifunctional agri-food systems”. 
 
 
Corresponding author:  
 Ing. Jan Jarolímek, Ph.D. 
Department of  Information Technology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague 
Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic 
Phone: +420 224 382 293, e-mail: jarolimek@pef.czu.cz 
 
References 
[1]  Vaněk, J., Jarolímek, J., Šimek, P.: Development of communication infrastructure in rural areas of the 
Czech Republic, Agricultural Economics, 2008, pp.129-134. 
[2]  Šimek,  P.,  Vaněk,  J.,  Jarolímek,  J.:  Information  and  communication  technologies  and  multifunctional 
agri-food systems in the Czech Republic, Plant, Soil and Environment, 2008, pp. 547-551. 
[3]  Salmelin,  B.,  Nolan,  J.:  Rural  development  &  ICT.  Collaboration&Work.  European  Communities, 
Luxembourg, 2005. 
[4]  Jarolímek, J.: Applying principles of information society in rural regions (Ph.D. thesis) Czech University 
of Life Science Prague, 2007. 
[5]  Barešová, A.: E-Learning ve vzdělávání dospělých [E-Learning in adults education], VOX, Prague, 2003. 
[6]  Šolc, M. et al.: Sborník  materiálů zpracovaných  k virtuální výuce v roce 2008 [Collection of  materials 
elaborated to the virtual education in the year 2008], Praha, 2008 
[7]  Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports: National Programme for the Development of Education in the 
Czech Republic (White paper). 

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E-Learning ve vzdělávání dospělých [E-Learning in adults education],

et al.: Sborník materiálů zpracovaných k virtuální výuce v roce

Information and communication technologies and multifunctional agri-food systems in the Czech Republic, Plant, Soil and Environment,

Virtual form of education in lifelong learning - chance for the country

Virtual form of education in lifelong learning - chance for the country

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