E-Learning at the Polytechnic University of Valencia: A Bet for Quality

Abstract

Since 2000, the Open Polytechnic University has been working at e-learning methods as a commitment to introduction of Communication Technologies into training process. The development of grade and postgraduate subjects was a specific way of putting it into practice. The figures support our work; 200 courses have been developed at the moment and more than 10,000 students are using our e-learning platform. The future looks brilliant for e-learning when the development course process is a quality procedure and the contents are designed for online training purposes. Teachers must consider the online training materials differently from other training materials as there are distinct and specific pedagogical aspects to bear in mind; this is the reason why they follow the pedagogical modules structure designed by the Open Polytechnic University. On the other hand, teachers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia can take advice from the Open Polytechnic University in order to apply new technologies to their courses. The Open Polytechnic University offers training to teachers in e-learning and give them resources to improve their skills in order to teach their subjects by means of an e-learning platform. The courses development process at the Open Polytechnic University is a process called “stages and experts,” because several expert agents are involved. They work together in a multidisciplinary model that gives quality to the courses--a quality that is proven by the Open Polytechnic University stamp. All this process is based on our own author tool, e-learning platform, and pedagogical methodology.