The Socrates' Mailbox Project

 

A short description

The MAILBOX project studies the use of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) in school environments. It is funded as an Observatory Project under the European Commission's Socrates sub-programme on Open and Distance Learning. Designed as a two-year project, it began in September 1996.

The focus of the project is on learning with ICTs: their use, impact, limits, future perspectives.

A particular emphasis will be brought to interpersonal communication skills, group dynamics, inter-cultural communication, expression skills, integration strategies, place and time design procedures... Results from six participating countries will be compared to identify common factors as well as diversities.

The project will also contribute to the development of teacher competence and skills as they need to be updated to bring them in new environments. It will also provide material and recommendations for teacher continuing education schemes.

The schools participating in the project will be encouraged to communicate with each other, as well as with a wider local community. This will serve to enrich the learning process, encourage rapid dissemination of project findings, and also strengthen inter-institutional co-operation and lead to enhanced inter-cultural understanding amongst pupils and teachers..

 

Keywords

Information and communication technologies, distance learning, future trends

 

Participants

CIP, Geneva (Switzerland); CNED, Poitiers (France); CRPP-DGCO, Geneva (Switzerland); CIDE, Colchester (UK); LAC - Laboratoire d'anthropologie de la communication (Liège), Belgium; NCER, Oslo (Norway); Atelier, Palermo (Italy); TECFA, Geneva University (Switzerland).

For addresses and mail pointers: there's a WEB page !

 

Funding

 

Period

Two years, form September 1996 to august 1998.

 

Publications

For more information. Socrates' Mailbox is also a site. Don't hesitate: visit it !

 

 

last up-date 27.4.98 (pdf)