eLearning Meeting Modular Education, the Case of Learning Objects

The topic of modularity is a lively issue in eLearning, both concerning the support that new technologies can offer to the implementation of modular programs and the production of technically and didactically sound learning objects. Several authors have proposed a new object oriented learning paradigm, which builds on the possibility to chunk the learning experience into clearly defined and small units of learning. If the analogy with software programming is interesting and stimulating, it is also necessary to consider the big differences between the two of them. The paper introduces both perspectives – from modularity to eLearning and vice-versa – reporting experiences done at the USI and at the ISPFP and providing a broad discussion about learning objects