University of Zagreb University Computing Centre – SRCE was founded in 1971. While it is the oldest infrastructural institution of the academic and research community in the area of application of information and communication technologies (ICT), SRCE is the key institution in planning, designing, construction, and maintenance of the computing, data and information infrastructure, the e-infrastructure for Croatian A&R community. SRCE continuously maintains stable, reliable and high quality operations of the e-infrastructure, ensuring its connection with the related European and global e-infrastructure and provides consulting and educational support to the members of the academic and research community. SRCE is expert center for ICT and center for education and support in the area of ICT application. SRCE is a public body and non-profit organization with 150 employees.
SRCE is actively participating in national and international projects in the area of information technologies and their implementation into research and education for more than 40 years. The central unit at the national level, which provides assistance in implementation of e-learning in higher education, is the E-learning Centre at the University Computing Centre SRCE. The focus of the E-learning Centre is to provide accessible and sustainable support to higher teachers, students and education institutions in use and application of new technologies into teaching and learning. The E-learning Centre is providing national e-learning platform for higher education with over 20.000 e-courses, more than 9.000 teachers and over 80.000 students per academic year. The E-learning platform Merlin (https://merlin.srce.hr) is based on open-source system Moodle and it is developed, maintained and administrated by the E-learning Centre team. It enables a reliable and free of charge virtual learning environment (VLE) for higher education institutions, teaching staff and students. Merlin is connected to Information System of Higher Education Institutions (ISVU), e-portfolio system (Mahara) and webinar system (Adobe Connect).
SANDRA KUČINA SOFTIĆ
PHD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR EDUCATION AND USER SUPPORT
Dr. Sandra Kučina Softić is the Assistant Director for Education and User Support at the Zagreb University Computing Centre (Croatia). She is also the Head of the E-learning Centre and the Head of the Office for E-learning at the University of Zagreb. Her work is focused on monitoring and fostering e-learning in Croatian higher education and providing support and advice to institutions, teachers and students in implementation of new technologies in learning and teaching.
She has a master’s degree in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom) and PhD in Information and Communication Technologies at the University of Zagreb (Croatia).
She has been a member of EDEN Executive Committee since 2013 and in 2014 she received the EDEN Fellow Title. In 2019 she became president of EDEN.
tona radobolja
it specialist
Tona Radobolja works as an IT specialist at the E-learning Centre at SRCE and she heads E-course development projects. Her field of duty is tutoring and instructional design of e-courses. Among other activities, she has created several workshops on how to use Moodle, Mahara and Adobe Connect, as well on learning outcomes in e-learning which E-learning Centre provides for teachers. She holds the following certificates: CARNET E-learning Academy – Course Design; E-course for e-mentors, CARNET; Expert for e-learning content design, Cognita; Moodle Course Creator Certificate; MoodleBiteas for Teachers, MoodleBites for Course Designers and MaharaBites for Teachers.
PETRA GMAJNER
it specialist
Petra Gmajner graduated from Faculty of Science at University of Zagreb (Master of Education in Physics and Computer Science). She works as an IT specialist at the E-learning Centre at SRCE from July 2019. Her job includes providing support to Mahara, Moodle and Adobe Connect users, developing online courses and tutorials, with extra focus on Mahara and e-portfolio development. She holds MoodleBites for Teachers certificate and Moodle Educator Certificate (MEC).
TEA ČIČKO
it specialist
Tea Čičko graduated from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb (German Language and Literature, as well as Information and Communication Sciences) and obtained a Master’s Degree in Teaching German and Information Sciences. When she was a student, she got familiar with e-learning tools that she actively used in classroom later on. From November 2019, she works as an IT specialist at the E-learning Centre at SRCE. Her job includes providing support to users of the Merlin system, developing online courses and tutorials.