The thesis of this paper is based on the assumption that the socio-economic system in which we
are living is characterised by three great trends: growing attention to the promotion of human
capital; extremely rapid technological progress, based above all on the information and
communication technologies (ICT); the establishment of new production and organizational set-ups.
These transformation processes pose a concrete challenge to the training sector, which is called to
satisfy the demand for new skills that need to be developed and disseminated. Hence the growing
interest that the various training sub-systems devote to the issues of lifelong learning and distance
learning. In such a context, the so-called e-learning acquires a central role.
The first chapter proposes a reference theoretical framework for the transformations that are
shaping post-industrial society. It analyzes some key issues such as: how work is changing, the
evolution of organizational set-ups and the introduction of learning organization, the advent of the
knowledge society and of knowledge companies, the innovation of training processes, and the key
role of ICT in the new training and learning systems.
The second chapter focuses on the topic of e-learning as an effective training model in response
to the need for constant learning that is emerging in the knowledge society. This chapter starts with
a reflection on the importance of lifelong learning and introduces the key arguments of this thesis,
i.e. distance learning (DL) and the didactic methodology called e-learning. It goes on with an
analysis of the various theoretic and technical aspects of e-learning. In particular, it delves into the
theme of e-learning as an integrated and constant training environment, characterized by
customized programmes and collaborative learning, didactic assistance and constant monitoring of
the results. Thus, all the aspects of e-learning are taken into exam: the actors and the new
professionals, the virtual communities as learning subjects, the organization of contents in learning
objects, the conformity to international standards, the integrated platforms and so on.
The third chapter, which concludes the theoretic-interpretative part, starts with a short
presentation of the state-of-the-art e-learning international market that aims to understand its
peculiarities and its current trends. Finally, we focus on some important regulation aspects related to
the strong impulse given by the European Commission first, and by the Italian governments
secondly, to the development and diffusion of e-learning.
The second part of the thesis (chapters 4, 5 and 6) focus on field research, which aims to define
the Italian scenario for e-learning. In particular, we have examined some key topics such as: the
challenges of training and the instruments to face such challenges; the new didactic methods and
technologies for lifelong learning; the level of diffusion of e-learning in Italy; the relation between
classroom training and online training; the main factors of success as well as the most critical
aspects of the introduction of e-learning in the various learning environments.
As far as the methodological aspects are concerned, we have favoured a qualitative and
quantitative analysis. A background analysis has been done to collect the statistical data available
on this topic, as well as the research previously carried out in this area. The main source of data is
constituted by the results of the Observatory on e-learning of Aitech-Assinform, which covers the
2000s and four areas of implementation (firms, public administration, universities, school): the
thesis has reviewed the results of the last three available surveys, offering a comparative
interpretation of them. We have then carried out an in-depth empirical examination of two case
studies, which have been selected by virtue of the excellence they have achieved and can therefore
be considered advanced and emblematic experiences (a large firm and a Graduate School).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unibo.it/oai:amsdottorato.cib.unibo.it:1096 |
| Date | 21 May 2008 |
| Creators | Lusetti, Marialuisa <1970> |
| Contributors | La Rosa, Michele |
| Publisher | Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna |
| Source Sets | Università di Bologna |
| Language | Italian |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral Thesis, PeerReviewed |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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