E-LEARNING, B-LEARNING, M-LEARNING AND THE TECHNICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL ASPECTS ON THE NEW PLATFORM TRENDS AS MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES

The dynamics of Information Communication Technology (ICT) expanded the scope of Education Science and, consequently the Educational Technology has reached various emerging areas such as: E-LEARNING, B-LEARNING, M-LEARNING. This article is part of research being conducted in the PhD Program in Science Education - Specialization in Educational Technology at the University of Minho (Braga-Portugal). The method used was the bibliographical research supported by systematic review of the literature (SRL) methodology in databases, whose research protocol was based on the adaptation of SRL methods [33]. E-learning is defined as a type of interactive learning, where learning content is available online and automatic feedback of student learning activities is assured. Online real-time communication may or may not be included, but the focus of e-learning resides more on the content of learning than on the communication between students and tutors [18]. This paper covers e-learning in its varied aspects. The terminology of the word e-learning is firstly discussed, as well as its respective definitions and concepts. The main cornerstones in the development of e-learning as a teaching method are presented, then extended to the areas of b-learning and m-learning. This section also describes the historical aspects and the generations which arose from Distance Education. Furthermore, the technical and pedagogical approaches to e-learning are related. A table is subsequently presented, displaying the advantages and challenges of the e-learning practice. Finally, it analyses the e-learning system, together with new platform trends, namely the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). The traditional and contemporary paradigms are antagonistic. For this reason they are in frank tension, the first virtual learning environment (VLE) that serve to support classroom courses or closed courses and are fully virtualized. And on the other hand, MOOC appear with the goal of extending these courses through the network, and are therefore open to all users who want to take the course. This remarkable change of paradigms are the major challenges and excel in both aspects of pedagogy, after all this situation reveals that the Human Computer Interface (HCI) is fulfilling its main objective which is to make more accessible interaction and easy to be used by all users for more heterogeneous than they are.