Review of RTD in technologies for education and training

A report entitled "A review of the research and development in technologies for education and training: 1994-1998" has recently been issued by the European Commission, DG XIII. It provides a comprehensive review of the research projects carried out within the framework of the ...

A report entitled "A review of the research and development in technologies for education and training: 1994-1998" has recently been issued by the European Commission, DG XIII. It provides a comprehensive review of the research projects carried out within the framework of the EU's Telematics Applications programme's Education and Training sector and the Educational Multimedia Task Force, since 1994. A discussion of future aims for the sector under the forthcoming Fifth RTD Framework Programme is also included. The report describes the work carried out within a total of 86 projects, placing them within the wider context of education and training in the European Information Society and the global trends in this domain. These projects generally involved several partners spread over 12 of the EU Member States and five EFTA countries, and involved a total of 700 organisations, more than one-third of which were SMEs. A section of the report is devoted to the work carried out within the framework of the Educational Multimedia Task Force. This brought together six European programmes in an enhanced effort to coordinate policies in education and training technologies and their development and implementation in the EU. A total of 46 projects were funded within this initiative, such as the European Multimedia Schoolnet which has forged a network involving Ministries of Education in the EU Member States. The following chapters are contained in the report: - Introduction to the main activities carried out within the education and training sector of the Telematics Applications programme; - Analysis of the key global and European trends in education, training and technologies, and an overview of the main achievements of the RTD projects; - Introduction and description of the 46 new Education Multimedia Task Force projects; - Discussion of the research aims and specific objectives of the upcoming Fifth Framework Programme with particular focus on the Key Action "Multimedia content and tools" and its provisions for developing new knowledge and skills acquisition technology. In addition, the annex to the report provides extensive background information, brief project descriptions and contacts for 86 RTD projects in education and training, as well as a glossary of terms, national contact points, Internet references, information on further reading and contact details for further information.