CNR-ITD

A competence center for promoting research, development and testing of methodologies and technologies for distance learning  The CORFAD project, promoted by Fondazione Rui, Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche and Techsystem S.p.A., was funded by the Industrial Department through the European Regional Operational Programme for Sicily 2000-2006 and developed between 2005 and 2008 years creating a competence center for promoting research, development and testing of methodologies and technologies for distance learning Target group • Educators, teachers of primary, secondary, vocational schools, universities Project results The ITD has developed three innovative educational systems: MoULe (Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning) A mobile collaborative learning environment; by integrating smart phones and mobile devices, educational activities can be carried out, based on the exploration of a geographical place. Gym2Learn A tool to support reading comprehension activities on the web. The system is an add-on tool for Firefox browser and helps students to activate their metacognitive skills to improve reading comprehension The system was planned like a gym where students can practise their reading comprehension strategies and assess their initial proficiency level of reading comprehension abilities. Using the system, students have the opportunity to follow training programmes for specific strategies and then to apply these strategies during their study on the Web. Mathemiamo A system which aims to promote the process of codifying the text of a mathematical problem in two main aspects, the linguistic one which involves understanding the meaning of the expressions contained in the problem, and the semantic one which implies the skill to infer the implications of a particular expression. The system is targeted at primary school children. Dissemination activity The systems has been disseminated in 25 primary and secondary schools with 141 teachers and 560 students involved. Seven workshops for improving the professional development of teachers and educators in the following fields have been held: • Educational technologies for exploiting the regional territory • Mobile learning opportunities for creating learning activities around the city • The Internet for teaching and learning • Cooperative learning and teaching activities • Methods and technologies for narrative learning • E-learning training and communication • Motivation and learning with educational technologies Two Conferences • Laboratories of Educational Technologies: new scenarios for teaching and learning • Exploring Methods and Technologies for Teaching and Learning Three editorial booklets edited by the ITD have been published • Laboratori di tecnologie didattiche:Nuovi scenari per l’insegnamento e l’apprendiomento • Laboratori di tecnologie didattiche: Esplorare Metodi e Tecnologie per l’Insegnamento e l’Aprrendimento • Emerging Educational Technologies and Practices