Research Activities Overview
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Opensource e-learning platfoms showroom
Learning-Tecnologies-Oriented Openource Software Testing (Zope-Plone)
Technological Observatory
Applied Research on Learning Technologies' tracking functions
Applied Research on knowledge communities.
Applied Research on social-pedagogical effects of Online Teaching.
Applied research on the effectiveness of FAR online teaching metodologies
Purpose
To realize a deep comparative study on opensource/freesoftware-based e-learning platforms in order to be able to provide a demonstration,display and assistance service, other than a final comparative report.Details
This line will include an extensive search of all the available opensource e-learning platfoms, the definition of a methodological and technical comparative schema and a final comparative analysis of the platforms. The platforms themselves will be hosted on the laboratory's webservers for testing purposes and to organize a presentation and display service, as well as providing advice about selection and deployment.Purpose
To allow internal and external testing of object-oriented environments (Zope-Plone) regarding networked learning, educational material exchange, online course delivering and more generally of e-learning and content publishing activities. If necessary, the laboratory's activities may include developing base applications intended for internal and/or external use. The environments and the applications created will we available and accessible on the web.Details
The laboratory will set up an hosting environment for websites and applications developed by external users who want to test and develop online teaching activities using a Content Management System like Zope/Plone, instead of traditional means. An instance of the system will be available to each user, who will be able to get assistance from the Laboratory to develop his own project or application and get support and learn about the CMS. The laboratory will be provided with the skill to create basic modules that can be used as building blocks for bigger and more complex applications, in order to reduce the application developing times.Purpose
To track the evolution of possible new research themes, not yet widespread but potentially interesting for future application fields, like : the e-learning standards(IMS, SCORM, Learning Design), law issues (online universities, accessibility) and new technologies(adaptive web, learning workflows).Details
By using info sources and by gathering relevant documentation an observatory will be created. The observatory will be able to give useful advice about the creation of new applications.Purpose
To define necessary metodology and technologies to provide a complete and detailed tracking of on-line users' activity, both on the learner's and teacher's viewpoint.Details
Pushing further the analysis done about the Learning Technologies in the direction of user tracking, the laboratory will determine both technical (which info to gather, detail level, stats) and methodological requirements, in order to provide both student tracking tools for the teacher and self-assessment ones for the learner. The laboratory will examine all the proper technical, pedagogical and statistical issues to define the data analysis procedures.Purpose
Starting from the experience acquired with the "Dschola" project, and together with the partners, the laboratory will investigate the processes and the technologies involved in detecting, gathering, coding and sharing knowledge (both implicit and explicit ones), aiming at the convergence of Knowledge Management and E-Learning Systems.Details
To start a screening of available knowledge communities, in order to delineate possible prototypes (eg. opensource software developers) and possibly try to apply them to life-long learning contexts.Purpose
To fully understand how the adoption of Learning Technologies may have changed the way to learn and teach, delineating the social-pedagogical effects of online teaching.Details
The laboratory will investigate the procedures needed to develop learning activities on the net for teachers, taking into account the National ICT learning program for teachers (Piano Nazionale di Formazione agli insegnanti sulle Tecnologie dell'informazione e della comunicazione). The laboratory will analyze the data about learning activities organized by DISEF: the FAR courses about education and cultural on-line resources to which 250 teachers took part and specifically the "B" trail which involves the educational use of ICT. The laboratory will also produce an on-line report about the real educational use of the Internet and the first results of the Regional Computer Network testing that is underway in schools in Piemonte.Purpose
To verify the effectiveness of FAR-produced online courses, considering the growing importance of distance learning in the university-education field.Details
The main feature of FAR on-line courses [Grimaldi, 2003] is the widest possible openness towards the Net, viewed as a cultural resource. This metodology should then allow the student to learn more than if (s)he was to follow a traditional course on the same subject. The laboratory will develop a test to evaluate such a difference. The test will examine not only the mere concepts learnt, but will be focused on the shapes of learning and conceptual maps developed by the students following each of the two learning methods.
Created by
mario
Last modified 2005-11-09 03:56 PM
Last modified 2005-11-09 03:56 PM
Evaluation criteria available in english
