Abstract
The convergence of information technology developments, together with instructional and pedagogical developments, is creating opportunities for new paradigms of learning and teaching. New concepts of postgraduated university education and of university continuing education will emerge, where new roles for individuals and institutions will be available and where new requirements will shrink.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Units of Learning: Elementary or primitive meaningful digital resources able to be electronically delivered, reused, and combined in complex sets called learning projects.
Agile/Virtual University Reconfiguration (A/VU Reconfiguration): See A/VU. During the lifetime of an A/VU, the structure can be the subject of reconfiguration by changing or adapting its physical structure in order to keep aligned with the learning project.
Individualized Learning Project: An integrated set of units of learning designed to meet the learner requirements.
Virtual University: An institution involved as provider of learning opportunities to students, using a Web-based approach to deliver programs, courses, and support and is organized under the format of alliances/partnerships to facilitate teaching and learning to occur (based on the definition proposed by the Commonwealth of Learning).
Agile/Virtual University (A/VU): An agile and virtual entity, integrated from independent providers of units of learning, existing solely to dynamically respond to a learning opportunity, and traduced by an individualized learning project. After the conclusion of that learning project, the A/VU dissolves itself. A/VU are expected to have integration and reconfiguration in useful time.
Market of Teaching Resources: An institutionalized organizational framework and service mediating offer of units of learning and demand of learning projects, assuring the dynamic integration of individualized Web-based learning projects.