IT Gaining Ground in Learning

Abstract

Continuously emerging forms of eLearning like MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses), PLE (Personal Learning Environment) and the use of Semantic Web standards in learning environments, are consistent proof that IT, the Internet, the World Wide Web, Content Management Systems, audio/video lectures, videoconferences, Semantic Web are here to stay, evolve and furthermore, to take control of the learning process, making from it a flexible, viable, profitable and extensively used solution for delivering knowledge. In this general context, the present paper offers an eLearning state-of-the-art and an overview of the trends and technologies proposed, developed and implemented in a particular eLearning environment, over the last years, as part of a postdoctoral research program. The mentioned environment was the Moodle portal used at the “Politehnica” University of Timisoara, the implemented standards were the hCard and hCalendar microformats and the proposed model was one of collective learning through question answering.