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covered in a particular theme. However, the assignments set 
required extra research and it was felt that insufficient time was 
available for adequate submissions. In the experience of the 
authors, therefore, assignments should be carefully designed 
and a single assignment submission at the end of the module 
would yield a fairer assessment of a participant's understanding 
rather than weekly submissions, which tend to be rushed and 
limited in quality. 
It is essential that feedback is given to students as soon as 
possible following submission of assignments and this in the 
authors” experience, is not possible where a submission is 
received at the end of each theme. 
Of course it is not necessary to include assessment of 
assignments in distance eLearning courses. Indeed the authors 
envisage a regime whereby participants could choose from a 
range of options: from merely following a course without 
assessment to completing and submitting assignments which 
could then lead to an accredited award such as a credit 
allocation from the European Credit Transfer Scheme (ECTS). 
This latter option will allow staff of GI organisations to 
accumulate credits from a number of courses, which might 
ultimately lead to a higher educational award. 
5. GENERAL EXPERIENCE OF DISTANCE 
eLEARNING 
The generation of content suitable for the efficient learning of 
complex concepts is time consuming. In the authors’ 
estimation, approximately thirty hours preparation is required 
for one hour of student on-line study (Mooney et. al., 2003). 
Material must, therefore, be re-usable in other courses or 
educational resource. Courses should have a long 'shelf-life' in 
order that they can be used over a period long enough to recover 
some or all of the creation costs. 
Participants of the pilot courses felt that distance eLearning 
represented a very effective means of updating their knowledge 
and continuing their professional development, particularly 
where no other form of CPD resource existed or was 
convenient. 
They felt the learning experience was a good one provided that 
feedback was forthcoming from course tutors in a timely 
manner. 
Tutorials covering complex concepts are possible through the 
use of communication tools provided they are well prepared and 
structured. 
Assessments should lead to an accredited award and students 
should be given sufficient time to prepare submissions. Group 
based assignments are difficult to realise and the gain to the 
learning experience is marginal while grades accruing can be 
affected by factors other than a student's knowledge. 
6. CONCLUSIONS 
It is the experience of the Department of Geomatics at DIT that 
distance eLearning represents a valuable resource for the CPD 
of staff in GI organisations. The range of technology 
developments and changing user requirements, however, require 
educational resources to be available in a spread of GI topics. 
Collaborative development of eLearning resources between 
competent educational establishments through a co-ordinated 
approach will offer the most effective means of providing these 
resources economically and as required. 
The authors look forward to such developments and welcome 
the continuing efforts of Commission 6 of ISPRS, Commission 
2 of FIG and the EduServ series of EuroSDR. 
REFERENCES 
Martin, A., Mooney, K., Greenway, L, & Davey, J. 2003. The 
Potential of Distance Learning in meeting the Challenges facing 
National Mapping Agencies in the new Millenium. In: 
Proceedings of FIG Working Week 2003, Paris, France, April 
13-17, 2003. 
Mooney, K., & Martin, A., 2003. The potential of distance E- 
Learning in the spatial information sciences — An evaluation of 
a pilot programme at the Dublin Institute of Technology. In: 
Proceedings of CBLIS '03 — the sixth international conference 
on computer based learning in science, 5 — 10 July 2003, 
Nicosia, Cyprus. 
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