Desing of an independent European knowledge base for deployment of visual communication into distancelearning

The Knowledge Base will organize and deploy developments of new pedagogical frameworks, organized expert and collective end user knowledge on best practices, technical advises, didactical methodologies, and eLearning programs targeting teaching staff on the effective integration of visual communication in the teaching process. It will benefit both teachers and students, and it will be partly sustained by a network of experts, teachers, and end users who will provide value-adding content through the provided services. This includes (i) Suitable pedagogical models for new teaching methods/learning styles (ii) Didactical use of visual communication in distributed, interactive distance learning environments (iii) Diffusion of technological know-how due to very fast technological developments, often resulting in obsolesce of technology within 6 months (iv) Deployment of updated, pedagogical, and relevant high quality train the trainer methods/programs (v) Organizational considerations focusing on successful deployment at all levels in an institution. A state of the art overview is given for the basic components of a European knowledge information base solution that is currently developed (a SOCRATES/Minerva project) in order to deploy visual communications to a broader audience of distance learning organizations. This includes (i) Development, validation, dissemination, and support for new pedagogical models and frameworks for distance learning, including teaching practices and the support of varying learning styles during interactive distributed distance teaching (ii) Didactical implementation and recommendations on state of the art application of visual communication services in teaching. (iii) Delivery of a train the training program aimed at teaching and administrative staff, covering use of new real time communication environments adopted for eLearning. It provides success criteria stressing the significance of organizational endorsement at all levels. (iv) Diffusion of objective independent expert knowledge on good practices in pedagogy and up-to-date technological know-how, i.e. a significant counterbalance to the biased information provided by the AV industry sales force. (v) Delivery of online services for the integration of new technology developments into training (vi) Long-term sustainability through services supporting on-line accumulation of end-user collective knowledge on good practices, technological developments, pedagogical methods, interoperability of composite equipment, etc.