Virtual university teaching: contributions to innovation in higher education. The case of Online Geography at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Abstract

This article presents a case study, Online Geography, carried out at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the basic feature of which was to implement a Learning Management System for university teaching. This experience resulted in the incorporation of curricular improvements which could be considered compatible with the processes of European convergence inherent in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

The most significant results of the case analysed here refer to changes in the teaching approach which translate into an improved organisation of content and the implementation of different pedagogical resources to those used in regular teaching, promoting new roles for both the teaching staff and students. Although these improvements do not exploit all of the possibilities offered by virtual teaching and learning environments, they are a first step towards a change of vision with regard to university teaching at the UAB, which will require the support of more defined policies for both resource investment and training and incentives for teaching staff.

Keywords:

• virtual learning environments
• ICT
• curricular innovation
• higher education
• autonomous learning
• EHEA
• case study

Acknowledgement

This project was carried out using funds from the ‘Emerging Research Groups’ scheme 2004 of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.