1. Research and Teaching unit in Educational and Learning technologies
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
TECFA
Research and Teaching unit in
Educational and Learning technologies
January 2004

2. TECFA Overview People Teaching Research PSYCHOLOGY EDUCATION COMPUTER
TECFA is a research and teaching unit created in 1989 by the Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l'Education ("School of Psychology and Education") of the University of Geneva. It is active in the field of educational technologies. TECFA's research covers a large area of interests, including: cognitive issues in learning technology, computer-supported collaborative learning, virtual learning environments, computer-mediated communication, information systems in education, and distance education.
COMPUTER
SCIENCE
COMMUNICATION

3. Collaborators and assistants
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Staf
Mireille Betrancourt
Daniel Peraya
Daniel K. Schneider
François Lombard
PhD. Students
Barbara Class, Nathalie Deschryver, Vivian P. Synteta
Collaborators and assistants
DEPOVER Christian, FITOURI Samir, FRETE Catherine, GONZALEZ Luis, JACCAZ Berenice, LATTION Stéphane, MORAND Stéphane, POIRIER Charline, REBETEZ Cyril, SIERRA Elodie, VIENS Jacques.

4. Undergraduate studies (Psycho and Education)
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Undergraduate studies (Psycho and Education)
Human-Computer Interaction
Mediated communication and learning
Computer-based learning environments
Since 1994, TECFA offers STAF ("Sciences et Technologies de l'Apprentissage et de la Formation") : a postgraduate diploma (DESS) in educational technology. Since its creation, this degree combines presential activities (6 weeks per year) and web-based activities. TECFA has been a pioneer in the design of a virtual campus promoting a constructivist approach. We are now investigating the use of community portals to promote distance learning with a socio-constructivist approach.
I will say more about when talking about research.
Integrating technologies in the classroom
Graduate diploma (Master)
Sciences and Technologies for Learning and Teaching

5. Variety of research methods
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Main topics
Mediated Communication and distance education
Cognitive tools for learning
Innovative Information and Communication Systems
Variety of research methods
Our research projects involve two general issues:
how to designeffective computer-supported environment to promote learning? -> instructional design, usability, cognitive concern
how does technology affect the learning and teaching processes? Technology changes not only the tool but also the whole situation: instructional strategies, social interactions between peers and teachers.
Laboratory experiments
Field studies
Action research

6. Semiotic componant Social componant Cognitive componant
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Mediated Communication and distance education
Semiotic
componant
Social
componant
Cognitive
componant
Social componant : social interactions, rites, negociation, culture
Semiotic componant : speech, signs systems, mediatisation
Cognitive componant : learning processes, memory, cognitive load
How to design effective mediated / distance education situations?
How does mediated / distance education affect learning and teaching?

7. IntersTICES’ mandate (Swiss Virtual Campus) 2000 - 2003
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
IntersTICES’ mandate (Swiss Virtual Campus)
To provide pedagogical support to the projects.
To identify the projects’ pedagogical practices and factors affecting the exploitation of the innovative potential of ICT.
To set the bases of an evaluation framework

8. How ICT can change instructional strategies
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
How ICT can change instructional strategies
The « wiki » as a co-construction tool
(François’s demo)

9. Cognitive tools for learning
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Cognitive tools for learning
How do we learn from multimedia and hypermedia document ?
How to design more effective multimedia and hypermedia documents ?
CLEAP Project = Collaborative Learning from Animated Pictures
Our research projects involve two general issues:
how to designeffective computer-supported environment to promote learning? -> instructional design, usability, cognitive concern
how does technology affect the learning and teaching processes? Technology changes not only the tool but also the whole situation: instructional strategies, social interactions between peers and teachers.
Voir rift animation

10. Innovative Information and Communication systems
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Innovative Information and Communication systems
Design of « intelligent learning » environments
Learning and practice community portals
Ex : TECFASEED project (Daniel Schneider)
Our research projects involve two general issues:
how to designeffective computer-supported environment to promote learning? -> instructional design, usability, cognitive concern
how does technology affect the learning and teaching processes? Technology changes not only the tool but also the whole situation: instructional strategies, social interactions between peers and teachers.

11. Thank you for your kind attention.
Overview
People
Teaching
Research
Thank you for your kind attention.
Our research projects involve two general issues:
how to designeffective computer-supported environment to promote learning? -> instructional design, usability, cognitive concern
how does technology affect the learning and teaching processes? Technology changes not only the tool but also the whole situation: instructional strategies, social interactions between peers and teachers.