New ways of delivering education services Consolidating the European Library Space Josep Blat, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, November 1999

Introduction: Two perspectives pragmatic experience in developing educational multimedia, Webs and a system for delivering a European Master course over Internet general issues, a reference: Images et Éducation Scientifique en Europe

General setting: changing technology as a must centuries of teachers using the spoken word and the blackboard now : changing the technology in the classroom is perceived as a need change is late: electricity, cars, telephone,... have changed the daily life why has education been slow to change?

A specific setting: the audio-visual culture and the advent of multimedia we live in the audio-visual culture first technology innovation in the classroom: video (not very widely used, except for distance education) second wave of technology in the classroom: interactive multimedia (standardised CD-ROM, new authoring programs)

Two aspects of networking: communication and publishing popularisation of networks came with the Web: distributed interlinked publishing plus: standard browsers (to read) and easy addition of material and connections but also: communication (most people discover on the Web first and later publishing) getting the best usage of each and the best interconnection is key (two examples)

Old and new paradigms of education (I) The old paradigm of educational systems is – synchronous (things happen at the same time), – presential (students in the classroom), and, –collective-oriented (at least in universities) With computers and telecommunication networks, time and distance barriers can be removed to a certain extent (to be explored)

Old and new paradigms of education (II) New communication tools allow for asynchronous communication Networks allow immediacy, thus breaking partly the distance barrier Tools allow more contact amongst teachers and students (lack of individualisation can be overcome) New paradigm for the whole education, not just for distance education.

Old and new paradigms of education (III) Passive education can be replaced by active learning: Negroponte's formula was Dont dissect a frog, build one Computers offer wide possibilities of modelling and simulation And network of published resources (the Web) Interactivity, navigation required but also development of good simulation material

Barriers to new developments (I) More cost instead of savings: –high quality multimedia material is expensive (navigation, audio-visual, simulation) – improved multi-way communication means more dedication (more for lecturers) Courses over Internet require more lecturers per student if good standards of quality are intended Insufficient literacy for being able to use the new means

Barriers to new developments (II) Insufficient literacy for being able to – use the new means (students and lecturers) –communicate and publish –make the best of both –use of resources Available tools are not powerful enough and still difficult to use (at least for the Web).

Some progress points Distributed publishing over Internet means available educational resources unknown (and unimagined) previously Vannevar Bushs dream of an immense associative electronic library into life Hugely smaller publishing costs allow for sharing knowledge (should also transform the economics of IPR) sharing and discussing knowledge with other people will enhance education

Reference to standards and some examples IMS standards for easier publishing distributed learning content and for using the content in multiple ways and on multiple learning systems LOM standard will specify the syntax and semantics of Learning Object metadata A research system (Kampus)Kampus A functioning system (Campus Global) at UPFCampus Global