Panagiotes S. Anastasiades

The future of the book, the book of the future

Books are not merely a means of saving and transmitting information and knowledge. Books are like innumerable keys of a huge choir organ played by all of us. They depend on our intelligence, our boldness as well as on our faults. At the same time, they constitute an indirect way of communication between the author and the reader. Modern times, characterized by digital information create an actual need: the constant flow of data and the dynamic processing of a vast volume of information. How can we combine the requirements of an era that rapidly downrates all knowledge and capacities with the need to go deeper into knowledge? In what way shall we be able to combine the joy of reading on paper, with the need for constant renewal of its context? How shall we be able to make educational books a means of interactive communication between authors, educators and students? We aim to present the meaning of hybrid book, as the main learning tool in future education.

Towards the Global Information Society: The Enactment of a Regulatory Framework as a Factor of Transparency and Social Cohesion

The new emerging Information Society will bring about significant changes in the way in which we perceive and experience both our working and social environment. Frameworks, everyday functions and practices, which, for decades, constituted the obvious reality around which the whole of our life revolved, are starting to look effete and unable to respond to the new electronic reality. The challenges of the new era, must become an object of attention for all citizens who will be called upon to enjoy its advantages, but also to confront the consequences which it will bring about to their life and the life of their children. The construction of an integral statutory framework, which will prepare the access to the new electronic reality for all citizens, under as less as possible disturbances, comprises the highest priority of the current era, since it is a factor of political clarity and cohesion of our society.

The theory of information reversal

The end of the industrial age coincides with the advent of the Information Society as the next model of social and economic organization, which brings about significant changes in the way modern man conceives work and social environment. The functional basis of the new model is pivoted upon the effort to formulate the theory on the violent reversal of the basic relationship between man and information, and isolate it as one of the components for the creation of the new electronic reality. The objective of the theory of reversal is to effectively contribute to the formulation of a new definition consideration in regards to the concept of the emerging information society. In order to empirically apply the theory of reversal, we will examine a case study based on the example of the digital library.

The Challenges of Web 2.0 for Education in Greece: A Review of the Literature

The pedagogical use of informational communication technology ICT in contemporary schools is an important issue in todays era of online learning environments. The internet is constantly evolving and it is transformed from a space of searching for information into a space of content creation and collaboration among users. Web 2.0 applications are being implemented in all levels of education with the intention of enhancing learning and, for countries such as Greece which are new to the use of ICT in the classroom, the learning outcomes are yet to be fully evaluated. This article aims to assess the research about the implementation of Web 2.0 applications in the Greek educational system, in the context of the international bibliography about the use and learning outcomes of Web 2.0.

Virtual universities: a critical approach

The rapid development of educational technologies. combined with the Internet boom at a worldwide level, gives rise to favorable conditions for the establishment of a new model of university training. The first part of this work gives a description of the major components of the new virtual university. The second part attempts a critical approach of the sense of virtual university from a social and a philosophical point of view. The focal point of this work is the danger of having a sweeping uniformity among university departments all over the world, together with the necessity to prevent university institutes from becoming units of providing distance learning material in package form.

A Unified Regulatory Framework on a European Information Society: Suggested Building Levels

The creation of a regulatory framework, which will prepare the grounds for the transition to the Information Society, is imperative. On a European level, a great effort has already begun with the aim of laying down measures and rules which will, on the one hand, facilitate the development of new applications, and, on the other hand, act protectively in relation to the citizens’ rights, and in the frame of a free and competitive environment. Every country-member is trying to lay down a framework of measures and rules towards that direction.

ICT and Collaborative Creativity in Modern School Towards Knowledge Society

Knowledge Society creates new financial and social framework at an international level. The recent economic crisis, having ethical, political, cultural, and social dimensions, exacerbates social inequalities violently and rapidly contributes, from scratch, to the search of concepts and situations, which seemed solid in recent decades. The educational system follows these developments uneasily and tries to manage a new routine, feature of which is the uncertainty and the constant unknown that changes constantly. All we have as a fact is that we train citizens for a society and a world we have no idea how it will be, after a few years. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the collaborative creativity with the use of ICT, as one of the most important tools, which the thinking teacher has in order to respond critically to the demands of our times.

Blended Learning Environments for Adults: Evaluations and Frameworks

3D Virtual Learning Environments (3D VLEs) are increasingly becoming prominent supporters of blended learning for all kinds of students including adult learners with or without disabilities. Due to the evidenced effect of architectural design of physical learning spaces on students’ learning and current lack of design codes for creating 3D virtual buildings, this case study aims at evaluating the suitability of the architectural design elements of existing educational facilities and learning spaces within 3D VLEs specifically for delivering blended e-learning for adult students with disabilities. This comprises capturing student contentment and satisfaction levels from different design elements of the 3D virtual spaces in an attempt to issue recommendations for the development of 3D educational facilities and hence initiate a framework for architectural design of 3D virtual spaces to augment accessibility, appeal and engagement for enhancing the e-learning experience of under-graduate, post-graduate and independent-study adult learners with disabilities within these virtual worlds.