Teaching and learning in virtuality

Abstract

Education in virtual environments is not necessarily located at any special educational approach. The most important difference between it and face-to-face education is that we change the environment where or through we teach and students learn, and the educational potential related to the best use of each environment, This paper focuses on the two main elements that make the difference in the educational processes in virtual environments: methodology and organisation. From the experience in the UOC, changes related to virtual teaching and learning and organisational culture are analysed. It asks if we are in front of the emergence of a new paradigm, based on networked learning and the use of the Internet in education, and concludes facing virtual teaching and learning with the challenge of globalisation of the society.