Development of a Virtual Campus Based on Bimodal Education

Abstract

A bimodal education model is a flexible model which harmoniously combines the possibilities for teaching offered by Information Society Technologies (IST), such as interactive classrooms, videoconference, and the virtual campus, with traditional educational activities such as lectures and certain types of practical training. The main goal was to provide university students and teachers in formal and continuing education with telematic tools based on new information technologies within the framework of a bimodal educational system. Other objectives were to evaluate the possibility of shortening and improving the learning cycles and overcoming the physical barriers that make it difficult for students to contact their tutor. This paper describes the development of a virtual campus based on a bimodal model of university education, in which the educational possibilities of IST were combined with the traditional training activities. Five virtual education sections were designed: Formal Education courses, Global Campus, Masters and Postgraduate courses, Specialised Education courses, and the Thematic Portal. Each section is defined by a series of functions that combine aspects related to information, communication, and the educational proposals.