The research team of the project publishes a paper in the International Journal of Learning

Albert Sangrà, Dimitrios Vlachopoulos and Nati Cabrera publish a paper in the International Journal of Learning, presenting a part of the project's results. The title of the paper is "The conceptual framework of e-learning: a view from inside".

More analytically, the main objective of this research was to analyze perceptions of online university staff about e-learning and to create an inclusive definition of its concept, which could set the boundaries for their future activity in this sector. For this purpose, a literature review of the e-learning concept in peer-reviewed journals, web pages, reports and books was carried out. Once the most important definitions were collected and categorized in different groups, according to their approach, four focus groups were organized with the participation of twenty-five academics and managers from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), in an attempt to understand how they interpret the concept of e-learning. This paper provides a valuable definition, which enables us to advance in the identification and analysis of how e-learning is carried out in different models.

Our definition for e-learning

The main result of the research project "The e-learning conceptual framework" was the creation of an inclusive definition for e-learning, accepted by the majority of the international scientific community that participated in the project. Our definition is the following:

E-learning is an approach to teaching and learning, representing all or part of the educational model applied, which is based on the use of electronic media and devices as tools for improving access to training, communication and interaction, and which facilitates the adoption of new ways to understand and develop learning

Publications for this definition and recommended citations:

Sangrà, A., Vlachopoulos, D., Cabrera, N. & Bravo, S. (2011). Cap a una definició inclusiva de l'e-learning. Barcelona: eLearn Center. UOC.  (p. 36).

Sangrà, A., Vlachopoulos, D. & Cabrera, N. (2011). The conceptual framework of e-learning. A view from inside. International Journal of Learning (in press).

Sangrà, A., Vlachopoulos, D., Cabrera, N. & Bravo, S. (2010). Defining e-learning: a research on its conceptual framework. International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation. Madrid.

Participation of our team in the "ICERI 2010"

Our paper "Defining e-learning: a research on its conceptual framework" was accepted to be presented at the International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation.

The conference is organized by the International Association of Technology, Education and Development and will take place in Madrid (15-17 of November).

The paper aims to present some of the findings of our project and, of course, the "umbrella" definition we created for e-learning.

We strongly believe that the dissemination of our work and the collaboration with other experts can let us go further with our project by identifying and analysing different models, in which e-learning is developed.

Results' analysis and evaluation of the project!!!

The participating experts expressed highly their satisfaction with the umbrella definition created and the project team proceeded to the analysis and evaluation of the project. Soon, the basic conclusions of the “e-learning conceptual framework" project will be posted in this blog.

End of the research activities of the project: the creation of the umbrella definition!

After the literature review, the realization of the focus groups and the application of the Delphi questionnaires, the project team realized three meetings/debates in order to create the “umbrella” definition for the e-learning concept, having as basis the experts’ comments and the different definitions found during the literature review. The objective of the project team was to create a general definition of the concept that could be accepted by the majority of the scientific community and could also set boundaries for the activity at the eLearn Center. The definition created was sent to the experts that participated in the Delphi questionnaires in order to see the level of their satisfaction.