Sacassani, Susanna, Azzali, Simona, and Tomasini, Alessandra (2008) International e-learning projects in the experience of Politecnico di Milano. In: Abstracts from the EDEN 2008 Annual Conference (2008) p. 133. From: EDEN 2008 Annual Conference, 11-14 June 2008, Lisbon, Portugal.

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Abstract

Introduction

There are lots of international projects that give evidence of the effectiveness of e-learning and digital communication in supporting collaborative working. Especially in educational intercultural contexts, e-learning has the undeniable potential of overcome multicultural, linguistic and geographical differences and stimulate collaborative working. The focus of this paper consists in analyzing two international projects of Politecnico di Milano, as case studies on the use of e-learning and digital communication at extra-European level, in order to identify relevant models of application of these methodological approaches in intercultural educational contexts.

Case studies: IAOL and DAIDO projects

One of the priorities of Politecnico di Milano is improving intercontinental exchange. In particular two are the most interesting e-learning projects on this field that we would like to share: IAOL (Interior Architecture OnLine - http://eproject.metid.polimi.it/iaol), with China and DAIDO (http://131.175.10.208:8080/daido/client/client.html) with Japan.

These projects were carried out with special attention to the valorisation of intercultural exchange dimension related to the involvement of several international subjects in the project. In this way the subjects involved in the project had the opportunity to give their own contribution in the field of internationalization of e-learning and digital communication, focusing in particular on best practices that can be used for further exploitation.

The partnerships created included educational institutions and subjects belonging to different contexts: international companies, Institutes for Foreign Trade, international consulting groups, etc., to promote projects characterised by a high level of formative value (assured by universities and other traditional educational institutions), but also by a positive impact at entrepreneurial and economic level.

The local identity is a concept based on the idea of the social and cultural value of the historical heritage. The urban historic environment represents one of the main long-term concrete expressions of the local identity. In China and even more than in the other Asian countries, a strong increase of the investments in building and urban development is driving the progressive loss of the local urban identity. These projects aimed to create the basis for an intercultural approach to the preservation of the traditional urban environment through the adoption of modern techniques and methodologies. They will allow to develop strategies of reuse of the traditional areas compliant with the local identities preservation and to create the conditions for the dissemination of the results achieved for fostering the real impact on the architecture and landscape policies.

Conclusion

The main added value of these actions is the intercultural approach based on the development of learning activities really integrated in the local contexts. The selected design themes applied to the local exigencies will be the basis for assuring a strong connection with the local situation by a deep comprehension of the local needs and the local administrations actions. These projects intend also to develop the relations among the involved countries through the online sharing of experiences and didactic material: being the contents and the tools available online, the community will be potentially open to the higher possible number of people also not directly involved in the project.

Item ID:	54644
Item Type:	Conference Item (Abstract / Summary)
ISBN:	978-963-06-5132-5
Related URLs:	http://www.eden-online.org/2008-annual-c...
Date Deposited:	30 Oct 2018 02:35
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education > 130309 Learning Sciences @ 100%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9301 Learner and Learning > 930102 Learner and Learning Processes @ 50% 93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9301 Learner and Learning > 930199 Learner and Learning not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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