Social Networks and Knowledge Construction Promotion in e-Learning Contexts

The presentation concerns the “Minerva” project co-financed by E.U. aiming at identifying and promoting “good practice” in the design and delivery of e-learning courses (i.e., activities that teachers/tutors may use to foster social dynamics allowing participants to advance in knowledge construction). Accordingly to the principles of action-research, the project has been implemented in four subsequent phases, starting from October 2006, up to the end of October 2008: 1) an exploratory study on a sample of noteworthy e-learning experiences (on the European scale); 2) design and delivery of e-learning courses – in academic domains based on emerging “good practices;” 3) process and outcome evaluation of e-learning experimental courses; 4) identification of “guidelines” intended to foster good practices useful to promote knowledge construction through social interaction and 4) dissemination activities (international meeting, web-diffusion, etc.). Principal findings will be presented during the conference.