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5th seminar "development & Management"

Palma de Mallorca, October 29-30, 2009

"learning challenges"

Magí Almirall –Mr. Amirall heads the Department of Learning Technologies of the University of Catalonia. His current activities focus on e-learning instruments and platforms and emerging learning formats and techniques. His key projects emphasize the need to implement accessibility standards for disabled persons in particular, while promoting user-friendly approaches and the development of free software.

Mr. Almiral discussed his experience as Executive Director of the Department of Learning Technologies, his fundamental philosophy being that "virtual" education has entered our lives; however we cannot simply identify it as "distance education".

"Contrary to what one may think, the University of Catalonia does not provide “distance education”. Since the arrival of the so-called web 2.0, it has become a university that offers web-based education without distance.

In a traditional classroom, the distance between teacher and the students seated in the second row is greater than that existing between teachers and students during an on-line session at the University of Catalonia – not mentioning the real-life students seated in the last row. During web-based sessions, professors are close to their students wherever they may be around the world.

Almiral also emphasized the importance of user-centered learning tools and design methodologies, based on the students’ needs, their capabilities, their aspirations, what they are used to and so on. E-learning, (sometimes referred to as “virtual learning”, although this term is not suitable, such learning, as provided by the University of Catalonia, being absolutely concrete and resulting in genuine skills and authentic diplomas) conveys new prospects and opportunities in the field of education and for the third sector in general.

Intesting links

http://learningtechnologies.uoc.edu/magi-almirall/

Sessions

Opening Genuine Participation Processes in the Organizations - by Eugenio Moliní
Learning Challenges - by Magí Almirall
My Life, My Job and the Digital Society - by Marc Cortés
Leadership and Commitment - Together, Building the Future - by Carlos Sánchez

Special thanks

View event's photos on Flickr