Title: "Open source virtual learning environments – experiences from the VO@NET project"

Day: Thursday, June 2, 2005

Time: 10:30-12:00 and 13:30-16:30

Location: C03

Organizers: Thomas Ryberg, Brian Moeller Svendsen, Lone Dirckinck-Holmfeld

Description: The open source movement has gained more and more attention in the last couple of years. For educational institutions and various purposes a range of open source virtual learning environments have emerged and evolved into capable systems with rather unique possibilities; for example the possibility of reshaping the system and adapting it to the local pedagogical practice. The interactive event on open source virtual learning environments will present a number of open source virtual learning environments and analytical models to assess these from a CSCL-standpoint in relation to the participants’ own organizations/institutions. Participants will be involved in hands-on experiences with the open source systems, dialogues and sharing of experiences with participants from the EU-funded VO@NET project1 (Virtual Open Access Network for Education and Training - Enhancing Interconnectivity between European and Asian Universities), who have participated in and constructed e-learning courses in an open source virtual learning environment. The VO@NET project aims to establish a virtual network to advance information exchange, increase communications, improve networking and develop joint courses and curricula through the introduction of new technologies to existing networks in Asia and Europe. The project targets higher education students and academics within the areas of environment and development at universities in Malaysia, Thailand, Spain and Denmark. During the VO@NET project a number of successful online courses have been created in a complex, intercultural collaborative environment. With emphasis on the collaborative aspects, the design of these courses and the significance of the open source virtual learning environment will be discussed. Furthermore the event participants will have the chance to try out and experiment with the VO@NET courses. Finally, participants will be involved in the elaboration of the analytical models for both evaluating the sustainability and viability of open source virtual learning environments and identifying the suitability of the pedagogical design of the learning environment in relation to their own local pedagogical practice. Click here for a full description.

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