E-learning in schools: Making successful connections

This chapter aims to provide a snapshot of a selection of online projects carried out within the last 5 years in order to describe the diversity and range of practices that the medium of e-learning can facilitate and to identify the factors most likely to contribute to their success or failure. Four online projects that shared the goal of aiming to improve learning opportunities for school students through the use of e-learning are discussed. The projects represent a series of initiatives hosted by three different Centres (The Centre for Flexible Learning, the Macquarie University ICT Innovations Centre and the Macquarie University e-Learning Centre of Excellence) located within an Australian University. They involve collaboration between staff from these Centres with technical support staff and academic staff from a range of disciplines at Macquarie University, Australia; with technical and teaching staff from schools in New South Wales; and with research staff from organisations such as the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (ACA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in America and the Centre for Astronomy and Science Education (CASE) at the University of Glamorgan