ELSA eLearning Project

Potential Exemplary from Austria

eLSA eLSA – e-learning in everyday school life is a project launched by the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture to exemplarily test the nationwide introduction of e-learning and blended learning in secondary schools. In 2002 eLSA started as a pilot project with nine schools, each located in one of the nine Austrian provinces. Teachers tried to implement E-teaching and E-Learning in the everyday teaching situation by offering the students E-learning sequences in very different and creative variations. Each of the participating schools established at least one core “eLSA class”. This class had the focus to implement eLearning in all subjects; teachers had to act as a teaching team. One of the objectives of eLSA pilot project (as well as ELSA II) consists of the teachers’ in-depth investigation of the learning platform (Blackboard in the pilot projects, different platforms in eLSA II as Moodle, WeLearn…) and the possible ways of using it in the everyday school routine (developing and testing e-learning teaching sequences).

eLSA Schools have an innovative reputation (seen by school partners, such as parents, school environment) and schools’ equipment is always up to date and there is a certain interest in a functioning infrastructure. This can be found among teachers and students. Teachers’ new media competence has grown considerably due to the project. Students appreciate new methods of learning, they are motivated and see their knowledge grow concerning new media as an important part of their future vocational development. eLearning benefits (such as being able to study whenever and wherever) are seen and accepted by students and teachers. eLSA supports collaboration in teams among teachers and strengthens students’ ability to study under their own responsibility.

see also http://elsa20.schule.at/topmenu/english-site.html and report on eLearning im Schulalltag (eLSA)