The Blending of Three Channels for Delivering a Comprehensive and Innovative Distance Learning Course: T-Learning to Improve Professional Skills for Intercultural Dialogue

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The purpose of the project is to support cultural mediators around Europe to improve their skills and competences through the T-learning approach, an integrated methodology which exploits the potential of E-learning, M-learning and TV-learning.
In the framework of the TIPS project, the concept of integration is a leit-motiv which concerns social context, course subjects, methodology and technology.
The TIPS beneficiaries benefit an online course supported by a mixed methodology where e-learning is supported by M-learning and TV-learning. The triple system exploits the benefits of distance learning tools and replaces the weaknesses of each methodology with the potential offered by the other, thus ensuring high interaction, portability, no limit of space and time, multimediality, simulations. These intrinsic qualities of TIPS system are expected to positively impact on the cultural mediators’ learning process by promoting customised training able to fit different learning styles.
The three main components of integration deal with pedagogy, didactics and technology. As far pedagogy is concerned, the use of different instruments (desktop or laptop devices, smartphones and television) allows the promotion of different learning styles (e.g. visual, auditory) able to satisfy different approaches or ways of learning. From a didactic point of view a continuity is ensured among the different learning objects through the inclusion of cross references. For example, while listening to an audio lesson via computer the user is informed about a movie on the same subject available through TV.
The integration also concerns technology: the three platforms are linked through a comprehensive database able to track students’ training paths and allowing tutors to make statistical analysis.

Stream: Technology in Learning; Maths, Science and Technology Learning

Paper: , , , , Blending of Three Channels for Delivering a Comprehensive and Innovative Distance Learning Course, The

Mikail Feituri is graduated in Automation Engineering at University of Rome “La Sapienza”. He works at FOR.COM.- Consorzio FOR.COM. Formazione per la Comunicazione as a Technical Project Manager of European and National Research Projects in the field of on-line Education. He has experience in expert systems realised with neural networks and Fuzzy Logic. He worked for the setting up of databases and software for accounting management commissioned by several companies. He was a collaborator at “La Sapienza” University – Electrical Engineering Department – for the realisation of innovative control systems.

Federica Funghi is graduated in Educational Sciences at University of Perugia. She works for the International Projects office at FOR.COM.-Consorzio FOR.COM. Formazione per la Comunicazione and she deals with planning and management of European funded projects focusing on the application of ICT in education and training. At present she coordinates European transnational projects concerning the use and experimentation of innovative e-learning platforms and social software.

Stacy Guidera, in collaboration with FOR.COM, is currently developing and testing the TIPS project. She is an expert in e-learning and is the TIPS course tutor for the pilot course.