Web-based systems for distance learning education and e-learning: towards e-learning online communities

This full-day tutorial draws on previous experiences of two EU-funded projects (distance education and intercultural learning over the Internet), a distance education programme delivered to eight locations in five countries from Europe, Asia and Africa, the coordination of a 16-partner think-tank consortium for the study of cognitive systems and the international workshop on e-Learning Online Communities. Both in EU and the US we are witnessing an attempt for the simultaneous development of courses and learning materials specifically designed for global students alongside the e-learning technologies and pedagogical tools required to support them. The benefits of these efforts primarily result in the professional development of e-learning practitioners and researchers including designers of courses, developers of learning content, tutors and trainers involved in distance education, programme administrators, and managing personnel of institutions teaching overseas. E-learning developers, trainers, tutors and managers, aim on advancing their e-tutor skills as their role is crucial in facilitating distance learners undertaking bilateral online programmes internationally. This enables such e-learning professionals to provide competent support of students through a variety of e-services and web applications. Furthermore, diversity management skills are highly needed for improving mutual learning, trust and confidentiality. Cultural awareness is needed to provide better market opportunities, for fostering the competitiveness of content and language players on the global network. In the European Union’s rich cultural diversity, values, attitudes and beliefs vary so much as to cause problems without proper intercultural and multicultural awareness. Worldwide, there is a great need for citizens to have a better understanding of the level of their own intercultural and multicultural competence. The ICT evolution of the past two decades leading to the proliferation of the World Wide Web was the primary factor for Online Communities to transform from a social interaction medium to virtual environments with commercial value. The increased popularity of Online Communities triggered the diversification of the community building process depending on those aspects forming the core of a community and enticing Internet users to become members; hence the birth of online communities focusing on education. Currently several institutions have created e-Learning Online Communities and there is early evidence of their future success