Commission calls for e-learning innovative actions
The European Commission has announced a call for proposals for preparatory and innovative actions for the e-learning action plan. The e-learning action plan, adopted by the European Commission on 28 March 2001, aims at presenting ways and means of implementing the e-learning initiative. Its intentions are to involve all those in education and training, both in the private and public sectors, in the realisation of the potential of e-learning methods and resources for lifelong and life-wide learning. The e-learning action plan operates by mobilising existing resources. A special budget line has been set to explore in depth specific e-learning issues. This will be achieved by undertaking a small number of pilot projects addressing the key strategic areas of the e-learning action plan. The call will be organised in two phases this year. The duration of each project will be between 12 to 18 months, starting from the signature of the contract. The first phase of the call for proposals will involve projects which have a starting date of 1 November 2001. The second phase will involve projects starting on 1 February 2002. The total available budget for this call is 7.5 million euro for 2001 and 2002. Under this budget, the Education and Culture DG could provide financial support for between four and eight projects for each of the two phases of this call for proposals. The present call for proposals aims at developing better understanding of the problems and opportunities which are associated with e-learning methods, contents and resources; their relationship with the traditional ones; their impact in education and training in terms of organisation and management; the pedagogical and technological trends emerging in this new sector and the possibilities for European added value. Projects should demonstrate how e-learning can be of benefit in the priority areas identified in the e-learning action plan. They should provide an added value and contribute to a fast moving and well-grounded development of e-learning in Europe. They should be wide ranging, addressing issues such as the general use of information communication technologies (ICT), but also looking at possible future developments, and exploring the transition from research and experimentation to general use. Their results should be suitable for drawing operational conclusions in e-learning at the European level. The themes for the proposals are the following: - e-learning European information services - European laboratory for innovation in e-learning - New learning environments - Virtual models of education and training 1) virtual European universities 2) virtual European campus 3) virtual mobility schemes - Teachers and trainers training on use of ICT for learning - e-learning demonstrators for key areasFor further information, please contact: European Commission Directorate-General Education and Culture 'eLearning call for proposals' Attn: Mrs Maruja Gutierrez-Diaz rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200 B-1049 Brussels Tel: +32-2-295 6346 Fax +32-2-296 6992 To obtain an application form, please consult the following web address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/elearning.index.html