'Lego' approach

Looking at these examples we can see that the range of means used by their authors spans from basic HTML to the use of programs written in Java and Javascript, and special server services.

Yes, hyperlinks and the use of multimedia allow us to produce fancier texts - often the materials found on the web are merely transformations of paper-text into a web form. But, the real difference is in the interactivity - ability of the netbook to interact with the user, to adapt to her/his needs.

Although the knowledge of programming is losing its importance in the use of computers, the old saying Most teachers are bad programmers, and most programmers are bad teachers is still valid also in new circumstances - and we have to add the artist to the group. There are some ways to bridge this gap.

• Professional production by a team of experts is reasonable for materials of broad use and is very expensive.
• Use of authoring tools by teachers ( WebTutor, HyperWave).
• Somewhere in between is a 'Lego' approach - to provide teachers with necessary skills and a large collection of building blocks (pictures, sounds, videos, applets, templates, ...) which they can combine in their own educational materials.

©

MCC'98; Dubrovnik, June 22-27, 1998