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The Strategic Role of the E-Tutor in New Learning Contexts

  • Conference paper
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Bridges and Mediation in Higher Distance Education (HELMeTO 2020)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1344))

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Abstract

Digital media have opened up new opportunities to review e-learning. The three ages of media describe a shift from technology for distance education, to technology-supported groups and, currently, technology for Community development. Reflecting on the profile of the e-tutor in the third phase of e-learning, our research was guided by three key-questions: what functions does the e-tutor fulfill? What tools does the e-tutor need? What actions should the e-tutor take care of, in term of communication? The research plan, carried out on 9 online courses, is based on quanti-qualitative method (a pre-course survey, a post-course survey, learning analytics, content analysis of tutor’s interactions and self-report). The results highlight the strategic role of the e-tutor in new contexts of learning.

This article has been developed jointly by the authors. Simona Ferrari wrote the sections: 1. Introduction, 2. A Nested Method, 3.2. The Shape of Tutorship in Different Learning Contexts. Serena Triacca wrote the sections: 1.1. Research Contexts, 3.1. The Essential Role of the E-tutor, 3.3. E-tutor’s Kit: Monitoring the Asynchronous Communication. Section 4. Conclusions has been written jointly.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Excel grid was designed starting from some useful tips included in the digital extension of the book (M13.3 pp. 23–28, edited by Andrea Garavaglia) [27].

  2. 2.

    The percentage of graduates is calculated taking as a basis the number of students who currently have completed the two-year period (n. 303).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy

    Simona Ferrari & Serena Triacca

Authors
  1. Simona Ferrari
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  2. Serena Triacca
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Simona Ferrari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Giustino Fortunato University, Benevento, Italy

    Laura Sara Agrati

  2. Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

    Daniel Burgos

  3. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Pietro Ducange

  4. University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    Pierpaolo Limone

  5. University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

    Loredana Perla

  6. eCampus University, Novedrate, Como, Italy

    Pietro Picerno

  7. eCampus University, Novedrate, Como, Italy

    Paolo Raviolo

  8. Open University in the Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Christian M. Stracke

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Ferrari, S., Triacca, S. (2021). The Strategic Role of the E-Tutor in New Learning Contexts. In: Agrati, L.S., et al. Bridges and Mediation in Higher Distance Education. HELMeTO 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1344. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67435-9_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67435-9_23

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-67434-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-67435-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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