Publications

Educational content plays a significant role in the process of delivering knowledge, thattextquoterights why it needs to be designed carefully, following designated principles. Learning Objects (LOs) constitute a novel approach in the educational contenttextquoterights organization, bearing features that if effectively used could lead to enhanced e-learning services. What is missing from literature, though, is a common agreement about the LOtextquoterights attributes and structure. For this reason, we initially try to specify the main characteristics of a LO and determine its functionality, especially in the context of distance education. Having realized its fundamental role in the instructional design process, we make explicit its correlation with educational objectives and other aspects of learning. Finally, in an attempt to capture all LOtextquoterights characteristics and make them utilizable by e-learning applications, we propose a metadata schema, reflecting all features of a LO, as described in this work.

In this paper, we shall discuss the role of Cultural Mediators and their qualifications and training needs, and then we shall present the a distant training course that we developed as part of the LdV TIPS project. The course employed the T-learning methodology and involved three technological platforms, namely Internet, mobile phones and IPTV, in order to ensure continuous availability and timely deployment of the course content. Finally, we shall present an assessment of the course based on the personal testimonies and the evaluation results of the TIPS Greek Class.