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While new pedagogical strategies and ICT-supported learning are closely linked in most of the experiences, it is not clear which of the two triggers innovation in the classroom. The teacher roles identified in the projects are not all innovative or a direct consequence of, but in a way they emerge from a new understanding of the role of the teacher in promoting innovations in ICT-learning settings. Certainly the projects indicate a recognition of the change from a teacher-centred to a learner centred approach – a trend not wholly deriving from new technology use. However, it is clearly not the case that this trend makes redundant the traditional role of teacher; in many projects the roles of teachers and students remain unchanged.

One of the key reasons for changes in roles is that by knowing the new emergent roles we could talk about a set of competence dimensions useful to develop training programmes. It has been proposed that instruction of teachers and tutors for handling e-learning courses will be done by starter seminars at the partnering institutions, handbooks for the different roles in the course and short meta-courses on course-management. Faculty who engage in the development and delivery of courses at a distance may find that the roles to which they have become accustomed in a traditional university environment have changed in the online environment. Such a change will be accompanied by the emergence of new job profiles in the university. Experienced assistants working in the field of educational media and technology could be invited to give their support to academics in the process of integrating these new technologies.

The role of teachers as collaborators of pupils and of colleagues both face to face and from a distance was commonly practiced in all projects. Teachers’ collaboration skills and dispositions are identified as crucial in many respects (teachers in participating in formal and informal networks of teachers, etc. increased collaboration and rich interpersonal relationships among the teachers minimise power-related tensions that may arise among ICT coordinators and the teaching staff, supports the decentralisation of decision-making, and has a positive impact on the effectiveness of the introduction of ICT in curriculum-based activities.

Another identified role is that of the teacher as a co-learner, facilitator of students’ inquiry, guiding student work and offering individual help; the teacher's role in coaching, observing students, offering hints and reminders, providing feedback, scaffolding and fading, and modelling are further powerful enhancements to any learning situation. The teacher as trainer of other colleagues was also identified.

As with respect to student’s roles, the projects observed or encouraged shifts stressing the importance of active learning. A project encouraged pupils to become young researchers who use new technologies to process, represent and communicate ‘scientific’ data collected on the basis of real-life observations and teamwork. In one of the projects students assumed several different roles: recipients, instructors, team and individual workers etc.

Teacher and student interaction

Most of the experiences analysed contain a similar range of services which they specify as aimed at improving interaction. These include content and communication services, interaction services (Forum, Chat –in real time, user homepages, etc) and Evaluation Services (Self-assess, examinations) together with Administration Services (Administer course, edit course with on line web editor, edit quiz etc).

But, interaction depends not merely on the technology devices used but on the users clearly “seeing” how to do it and why. Building up networked teams by the Internet, without any physical contact, has as result an innovative work basis. Interaction need to be closely linked to a sound pedagogical approach, and not to the use of possibilities of the Internet tools by themselves.

A general observation is that the patterns of teacher-student and student-student interactions, accompanied by a shift in the teacher/pupil roles and the use of ICT, change from conventional classroom patterns - where teachers initiate and direct classroom interaction, dominate talk and define success, to more pupil-centered, team interaction and collaboration patterns. In school settings, teacher-student and student-student interactions are influenced by computer-lab or computer-classroom arrangements and in particular how computers are arranged in the schools (traditional class, small group projects, or individual work). Pupil to pupil interactions are often based on small group co-operation, collaboration and shared construction of meaning. In the computer rooms, the pupils are often co-operating two and two or in a small group. They learn to listen to each other and to discuss the findings from Internet etc.

Attitudes of actors

Attitudes towards e-learning repeat the patter technophobia-technophilia present during decades in the educational system. Instructors often have negative perceptions of technology-supported learning and open and distance learning; they can’t see the educational benefits or the potential of new ICT-based methods. They question whether the Internet can actually be used effectively for educational purposes and resist this new mode of instruction.

Observations in regular school classroom revealed that the attitudes towards ICT among teachers varied enormously from fear, scepticism and indifference to wild enthusiasm and excitement. Fear that technology will replace teachers appears. Tensions among schools coordinators and colleagues, are also mentioned.

In this perspective, crucial factors in developing positive attitudes among teachers are the provision of high quality training on ICT. Teachers with positive attitude towards ICT start using ICT in “ordinary” teaching outside the context of projects.

As with respect to students, one positive attitude towards ICT is the increasing importance of ICT crucial for their professional career. Positive attitudes of staff to technology help students with the emerging use of e-learning, where pedagogical as well as technical issues arise.

Female students’ attitudes towards ICT varies. A project report that female students were generally less confident than males, and reported fewer skills and lower competence levels.

Teacher workload

Concerns about the workload of using ICT in education seem to be a main obstacle on all levels (pedagogical, technological and organisational). It is assumed that the task of preparing an ICT-based course is more onerous than a traditional teaching approach, as well as the integration of new pedagogical methods. Feedback and guidance via Internet-services are regarded as essential elements of computerised distance learning, it is very time-consuming and demands adequate evaluation. Institutions, as for instance universities will need to put in place a policy recognising and validating academic cooperation in the setting up and development of educational technologies.

For the reduction of workload readymade expert-statements in forums are introduced automatically when the students have written their contribution. Most important is the use of tutors (alumni): Teachers can handle a larger number of students than in conventional courses.

Teacher collaboration

Collaboration is a key word in e-learning. The online platforms offer teachers the online-facility for cooperation with respect to the e-learning course: teachers provide others with their experiences and offer new modules and ideas for enhancing the courses. This does not mean that these possibilities are taken into account in reality. In international settings, scholars who are well known in their field and to each other and who are used to common and regular exchange of ideas, experience and knowledge.

Teacher collaboration is also necessary for creating quality materials. Staff has the opportunity to work collaboratively and closely with colleagues that are spread around geographically disparate teams.

Assessment

Assessment in e-learning needs an special attention. There are many approaches, which reflect different assessment theories. Self-assessment is also considered. These approaches go from the dominant positivistic paradigm in pedagogic assessment, to a constructivist-oriented assessment focused on learner-centered and learner-directed assessment.

In most online learning experiences, types of assessment-workflows are sometimes integrated into the LMS, including formative and summative assessment schemes. Assignments are submitted via Internet, but in most of the cases the final assessment is face-to-face based. In other cases the knowledge is assessed continually, and supplemented by limited formal assessments at group meetings.

Affective and socio-cultural factors that influence learning processes

For some ICT functions as a system that shapes students’ lives, learning styles, fashion concepts and social relations and produces a multiplicity of technologies of gender, social class or national identity. ICT is more than a system of communication and production tools, it is a culture with rules, genres and consumption patterns of its own. In this perspective, affective and socio-cultural factors related to e-learning have a profound macro-social and cultural character well beyond school culture. ICT as a ‘cultural’ system has a cross-national character and shares many common elements from country to country.

If we talk about schools, the school culture defers from country to country because it is deeply rooted in the differences in the learning patrimonies of European countries. This universality of the ICT culture creates many opportunities for collaboration and sharing which may positively affect learning processes in schools (as contrasted to the national character of school culture). Teachers working with other colleagues online can have different perceptions and understanding.

In online learning new opportunities of collaborative work between geographically disparate teams appear. Staff has the opportunity to work collaboratively and closely with colleagues. Students also show enthusiasm in communicating with pupils from other countries which is indicative of the attractiveness of perceived socio-cultural differences to them, something that can greatly enhance learning at many different areas (affective and socio-cultural, domain specific, etc). For example, pupils might exhibit interest in communicating with pupils from other countries and through teleconferencing and the bulletin board pupils had the chance to get to know each other and exchange ideas and information.