New Media Education

The concept of e-Learning brings to mind the idea of a feasible system based on the use of a computer. Actually, it is a more complex process that uses the multimedia within a series of functional interconnections among individuals with a common objective. The use of new sharing tools and social networking has greatly modified the ways of production and exchange of information; every participant holds a decisive role in the creation, production and diffusion of contents. There are two different learning models based on the level of interactivity among the people involved: the “individual” model, where the interaction focuses on the use of the contents and of the instruments and implies a high level of flexibility in the didactic process, the “collaborative” model in which the teaching mediation is done by qualified people who are able to organize and coordinate the activity of a group. The tendency has been to reduce the role of the person who transmits knowledge in favour of a new role, that of a person who has to facilitate the learning process. In this way the relationship between teacher and student becomes complementary. The teacher takes on a constructive role and is able to create open learning models that can be modified and adapted according to the needs and competence of the students.