Setting Up a Web-supported Environment for Distance Learning – The MICCPAM Experience

Abstract

The MICCPAM EU-project was carried out by four partner universities. A framework now including five modules for a masters course in countryside management by distance learning have been developed. The course focuses on students who have difficulties attending a course, personally, because of professional business, geographical remoteness, disability, or family commitments. The modules have been designed to be taught using the web, but still, the aim is to develop web-enhanced, not web-based courses. Thus, there are also paper-based readers. The project has used and compared two approaches for the web-supported environment: a website designed with standard software tools running on a standard web server and, on the other hand, a commercial VLE. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed. During the project, several pilots have been run to test the framework and the modules. Students and tutors have evaluated the approach. Challenges for authors and designers in such international collaborations are described.