Arctic Yearbook 2014 | Page 138

138   Arctic Yearbook 2014   Volcanoes. Students reported that it was very difficult to include all interesting information in a short educational program, so in future the modules will include only the most basic issues. The distance course will be based on lectures. However, practical exercises, particularly the method of case studies, will be also included. The joint educational course will be designed for MA and PhD students of UArctic. Participants will continue further work over the course during spring and summer of this year. In September 2014, the group plans to discuss the course modules in Alaska (The official website of the Thematic Networks on Natural Hazards – http://www.uarctic.org/organization/thematic-networks/natural-hazards/). Individual universities of the continuum will offer the distance course on the natural hazards using the same content, but their individual delivery and learning management systems. For example, the Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI) and its northern branches will use a self-made learning management system Virtual campus. Using a system of electronic training of MESI, in the 2014 spring semester the author developed a module “Image of Natural Disasters in the French and Russian Literature” for graduate students of “Theory of mass communications and international public relations”. The module was organized as a blended course combining elements of traditional and electronic models of education. The MESI traditional model means internal communication with educators, lessons in a class, etc. he electronic model entails training with the use of information technologies: use of Internet resources, communication with educators in forums, viewing of training materials via online, passing tests via the computer, etc. For authorization on the site of the Virtual Campus, it is necessary to specify a login and password. At the beginning of a semester each student receives an individual login and password for the login. This information is strictly confidential and isn’t subject to disclosure. As the Virtual Campus is realized on the Microsoft Share point 2010 platform, only the MS Internet Explorer browser