Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning

Издательство InTech, 2012, -344 pp.In the last few years, technological innovations for computer systems have supported real-time collaboration along the Internet. Social networks have become a new social phenomenon and illustrate the real time collaboration well. They make possible for communities to exchange assorted kinds of information; allowing users to keep in touch with other users with common interests; and, ultimately, learners and instructors can produce new knowledge.
In this line of thought, a variety of other tools can be mentioned, such as forums and blogs that facilitate debate and solutions to several student’s problems and doubts, as cloud computing and virtual environments, which are used share lectures, classes and other resources among students, instructors and professors. Above and beyond collaboration, technological innovations provide real-time interactivity as well.
Therefore, directly or indirectly, those emerging technologies are linked to E-learning, since electronic features are used as the basis of information exchange, to enhance teaching and/or learning. Basically, E-learning enables distance teaching or learning, not necessarily requiring face-to-face classes but, using data exchange instead, mainly through electronic resources such as communication networks - usually the Internet.
With the resources provided by communication technologies, E-learning has been employed in multiple universities, as well as in wide range of training centers and schools. This book presents a structured collection of chapters, dealing with the subject and stressing the importance of E-learning. It shows the evolution of E-learning, with discussion about tools, methodologies, improvements and new possibilities for longdistance learning.
The book is divided into three sections and their respective chapters refer to three macro areas. The first section of the book covers methodologies and tools applied for E-learning, considering collaborative methodologies and specific environments. The second section is about E-learning assessment, highlighting studies about Elearning features and evaluations for different methodologies. The last section deals with the new developments in E-learning, emphasizing subjects like knowledge building in virtual ePart 1 Methodologies and Tools.
Wikis and Blogs in E-Learning Context.
XML Data Access via MOODLE Platform.
E-Learning Tools as Means for Improving the Teaching-Learning Relation.
Methods and Tools for Increasing the Effectiveness of E-Learning.
Technological Transparency in the Age of Web 2.0: A Case Study of Interactions in Internet-Based Forums.
Exploring New Technological Tools for Education: Some Prototypes and Their Pragmatical Classification.
Part 2 E-Learning Assessment.
E-Learning Evolution and Experiences at the University of Zaragoza.
Designing an Innovative Training Tool: A Formative E-Assessment System for Project Management.
ICTs and Their Applications in Education.
A Comparative Study Between E-Learning Features.
Part 3 New Developments.
Collaborative E-Learning: Towards Designing an Innovative Architecture for an Educational Virtual Environment.
Distributed Intelligent Tutoring System Architectures.
Developing Distributed Repositories of Learning Objects.
Bio-Inspired E-Learning Systems – A Simulation Case: English Language Teaching.
Creation of E-Learning Systems by Applying Model-Based Instructional System Development Environment and Platform Independent Models.