Pedagogical Utility, Usability and Accessibility Criteria for Selecting Computer-Based Learning Activities and Functionalities

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Since the democratization of personal computers and Internet access, technology-supported formal and informal learning opportunities have multiplied, increasing the learning contexts and contents. Despite these increasing learning opportunities, not all educational stakeholders have developed a level of eCompetence and eLearning impact awareness allowing them to choose and implement technology-supported learning solutions correctly.
On the one hand we need to consider digital migrant teachers that will try to avoid ICTs, but on the other we have technological-enthusiastic teachers that will try to introduce tools and functionalities without assessing the costs, the utility, usability, accessibility and pedagogical criteria that must be considered before innovate with technologies.

This workshop aims to provide ergonomic and psycho-pedagogical criteria to help the participants in their selection of technology-supported contents and functionalities (elearning 2.0 solutions, collaborative tools, open media and courseware...), considering the learning objectives and the specific teaching and learning contexts of different educational levels. The workshop will introduce the main technology-supported learning solutions and provide a methodological framework to choose, implement and evaluate the integration of ICTs in the online, blended or traditional learning context. We will focus on the pedagogical utility, usability and accessibility criteria from a learner centred perspective.

Stream: Teacher Training and Professional Development

Paper: Analysis on Pedagogical Utility, Usability and Accessibility Criteria for Designing Computer-Based Learning

Margarida Romero is researcher and consultant on learning innovation, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) and metacognition enhancement through educational technologies. For the last 9 years she was a project manager in national and international elearning and life long learning projects. In addition to her professional work she is part-time lecturer at Limoges University, IUP Nîmes and CNAM. Currently, she is the coordinator of EuroCATCSCL FP7 research project and works as elearning expert in Esade Business School.
In 2007, she won the 3rd price on Technology Transfert in EU Network of Excellence Kaleidoscope. 2007. Berlin, Germany. In 2006, she shares ex-aequo the Artificial Intelligence French Association Award.

Part-time lecturer of the Basic, Evolutionary, and Educational Psychology Department, Autonomous University of Barcelona, and coordination support in the area of Multimedia and Communication (MIC/MYC/CTEV), being also consultant for the subject dealing with this issue in the Open University of Catalonia.