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The article is focusing on aspects related to technology acceptance of LA in the context of school education. A survey that was based on the Technology Acceptance Model was distributed to 98 participants who work as schoolteachers and/or local educational policymakers and are geographically dispersed across two different European countries. The survey comprised of questions that span across four broad categories: a) actual usage of LA in schools, b) intention to use LA, c) perceived usefulness, and d) attitudes towards use. Regarding (a), most of the participants were aware that their educational institutions retain and use digital formats of student data as well as other data relevant to the learning process. Also, the participants could verify the existence of a respective privacy policy in their educational institutions. With respect to the perceived usefulness aspect, the participants were asked to opinionate concerning four promising types of LA usage, namely 1) real-time feedback, 2) prediction of at-risk students, 3) learning activities recommendation, and 4) student groups recommendation. All four types were well-received, but the perceived usefulness of prediction of at-risk students scored lower than the other three types of activities, while the learning activities recommendation scored higher in terms of perceived usefulness. The participants’ intention to use LA was examined in conjunction with their professionalism and that prospect was also well-received. The results are partially controversial, since the participants’ attitudes were not particularly favorable: they are moderate with respect to how much sceptic, willing and ready they feel about embarking on a LA endeavor.

This paper investigates the impact of designing and implementing a Flipped Classroom (FC) learning design at primary and secondary education schools as part of teachers’ professional development. During a bottom-up procedure, 376 teachers who participated in a middle-scale seminar for this model were trained in “flipped classroom strategy” with the same blended learning model. In the first phase, they proposed their flipped classroom lesson plans and in the second phase they analyzed them in a peer-review processing. As a result, we have created and propose a learning design template in LAMS available for teachers to author and implement a flipped classroom lesson with the aim of active participation instead of a passive experience.

The chapter explores the use of virtual learning environments (VLE) to support learning spaces in schools/universities and illustrates their advantages to enhance e-collaboration and its key dimensions. Case studies of learning management systems (LMSs) point out the use of synchronous or asynchronous communication and highlight the advantages, the requirements, and the relevant constraints. In particular, this chapter emphasizes in the development of e-collaborative experiences at schools/universities based on LMSs to support both students and educators in their complex work. VLEs will be presented aiming to e-collaboration and their numerous services to enhance differentiated pedagogy. Case studies of e-collaborating in communities of practice and exemplary LMSs are illustrated in a comparative table highlighting how they support key dimensions of e-collaboration. Finally, the chapter highlights discussion themes raised by e-collaborating in VLEs and generally in learning spaces. Proposals for further development of e-collaboration and conclusions are drawn and commented.

The development of nonalcoholic functional beverages enriched with herbal bioactive compounds has great nutritional and economical interest. The aim of the study was to prepare a functional instant herbal powder (IHP) from dehydrated herbal cold infused blends, easily dissolved in cold water, providing a beverage with enhanced health benefits to consumers. Several aromatic plants’ cold infusions were evaluated, and a sideritis (Sideritis scardica), clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) blend was selected for IHP preparation, due to the high phenolic content and sensory superiority. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, carbohydrates and carotenoids while spectrophotometric assays confirmed antioxidant activity of the IHP. Shelf life testing was also performed on the IHP with storage at 25, 40 and 70 °C for five weeks, assessing total phenolic content, antioxidant and antiradical activity, color and microbiological status of samples. The IHP maintained consistently its antioxidant and antiradical activity, as well as its color and microbiological stability at 25 °C for the whole storage period. The degradation of IHP phenolics and its color attributes were significantly affected by temperature during storage. The potential of IHP to contribute to oral hygiene was evaluated through antimicrobial testing against oral microbiota.

The development of networks and web based environments combined with modern learning theories compose the new area of Learning Spaces aiming at enhancing interactive processes between educators, the Net generation's learners and the educational content. Collaboration at a distance (e-collaboration) supported by advanced learning technologies is today feasible and effective at a large scale opening up new perspectives in higher education. The paper presents a case study at the Hellenic Open University regarding the development of a learning sequence aimed at achieving high degrees of interactions among students, students and educators, and also at guiding them between face-to-face meetings when they prepare an essay. The Learning Space of the case study is realized by authoring sequences of learning activities using an LMS LAMS. Extending the case study, a methodology is illustrated to author collaborative sequences using LMS addressing to Open Universities in particular and also to conventional Universities in general.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the application of the model of the “flipped classroom” as a complementary method to school distance education in junior high school Biology. The “flipped classroom” model attempts a different way of organizing the educational process according to which the traditional methods of learning at school and studying at home are interchanged, the learners’ active involvement is supported, their autonomy is reinforced, ICT is utilized and learning occurs partially by distance (blended learning). We performed an action research implementing flipped classroom in Biology teaching in a class of 17 students attending the1st year of junior high school. The educational platform used was the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS). The findings were evaluated qualitative rather than quantitative, and can provide evidence about the prevailing situation. During the action research, it became evident that time management in the classroom was improved. Furthermore, it was observed that students’ involvement in the educational process was also improved. Students had already familiarized themselves with the cognitive aspect of the lesson before entering the class and they considered the learning process as an individual affair which does not only depend on the teacher. The implementation of digital activities accomplished by distance led to taking action and initiative and finally to active learning. School distance education combined with the radical development of ICT can be complementary with the use of various methods, like the “flipped learning”, and give a new perspective and potential to the limited choices of conventional education in the Greek educational system which is worth further investigation.

The majority of existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) support collaborative learning through unstructured, general purpose collaboration workspaces that provide educators with semantically poor low-level data about learners’ interactions. Educators in turn, labour to process and interpret this kind of data, and consequently, are not able to intervene effectively in the collaboration process. To overcome this limitation, we used Learning Activity Management System (LAMS), an activity-based LMS, integrating in it some activities to be implemented with Synergo, a collaborative concept mapping specific tool with a structured interface. A case study of using this compound learning environment is presented in this paper. This case study is used to investigate what will be the benefit for educators and learners from such an approach. In this context we designed a particular collaboration script to also test the hypothesis that scripts support the acquisition of cognitive skills. A pre-test for validity and reliability of the script has been performed in order to understand and experiment with the technical’s aspects of the integration of the two e-learning collaborative systems and to investigate the students’ opinions.

E-learning with the use of Learning Management Systems, has been increasingly adopted in Primary, Secondary and Higher Education with the expectation to increase students’ motivation and infuse activity-centred learning strategies with various educational benefits. This study has investigated the initial perceptions of Greek teachers about the integration of LAMS, a Learning Activity Management System, in the educational praxis. Through a multifaceted research method, involving a small scale participatory action research, the research team attempted to investigate the preconditions required to integrate LAMS in the everyday lesson. Two tutorial workshops were organized with the participation of 46 educators from geographically diverse urban areas, from K-12 to Tertiary Education. Results indicated that teachers have developed a positive attitude towards LAMS and the use of collaborative online tools during the educational process. Although teachers have certain objections on integrating LMSs, which stem mainly from the current status of the Greek educational system, they accept relative advantages of integrating online collaborative approaches over the traditional face-to-face approach. Well-organized and carefully implemented tutorial workshops can spark teachers’ interest and bring about change in the educational process. Small scale interventions such as these can prove to foster dialogue among teachers of various backgrounds and set the foundations to create online communities of practice for innovative teachers.

A study was conducted on the pedagogical use of App Inventor (AI) - an open-source web application that allows novices to create software applications for the Android platform-to support students in developing fundamental Computer Science (CS) concepts and critical thinking skills. A total of 35 students from four different secondary classes in Chios Island, Greece, were invited to participate in the study. In a 4-week trial teaching, students worked in pairs, sharing a mobile device to learn about topics in CS and how to program. The pre- and post-tests showed a statistically significant growth in students' domain knowledge and in their engagement. The semi-structured interviews with the teachers who participated showed that the students and the teachers perceived positively the effectiveness of the pedagogical designs on the use of programming of mobile devices to foster students' development of fundamental programming concepts through AI.

PurposeThis paper aims to study the possibility of delivering experiential training techniques through distance learning, targeted to lone parents and to present the early implementation findings. It also aims to present the potential benefits of participative techniques when combined with new technologies used in distance training programs targeting single families.Design/methodology/approachTechniques such as direct discourse combined with questions and answers may be implemented in a virtual environment of consultative support. Trainees, from their job or home, log on to a site of consultative virtual structure, using their personal computer and the internet. Technology allows them to chat with one or more participants, through text, sound and even video.FindingsResearch findings showed that trainees responded positively to the proposed training tool. They creatively exploit participative techniques during their distance training.Practical implicationsLone parents are often limited in their availability to participate in face‐to‐face training programs and have fewer chances of lifelong learning in a classroom form. They are often confronted with transport difficulties and time restraints. Thus, distance learning with the use of new technologies may provide development solutions for this group of citizens.Originality/valueThe paper provides useful information on participative techniques during distance training for lone parents.

This chapter discusses the emerging need and opportunity for the development the conceptualisation of representation and forms for learning design which are utilised in the activities a teacher plans to engage adult learners in lifelong learning setting. The chapter argues that effective teaching and facilitating practice involving ICT should be described and represented in ways that facilitate creative learning, self-directed learning, critical reflection and experiential learning scenarios. The sharing and reuse of quality ICT-based collaborative learning activities for adults could be a solution to enable creative and effective blended learning for adults. In this chapter Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is presented as an innovative approach to blended learning paradigm. Inspired by the concept of “Learning Design,” it provides a visual authoring environment for the development of activity sequences, together with a learner run-time environment and a teacher-monitoring environment.