Rationale
Session three is completely devoted to Online Platforms. The first task is meant to gather feedback.
Trainer may start commenting on any interaction that has occurred on the group mailing list and then
let trainees report on any attempts they may have made on their own or with students. The second task
is focused on Online Platforms. Trainees may already be familiar with Online Platforms. Trainer has
to elicit trainees’ previous knowledge to be able to adapt what she is going to say in her presentation
in task three. The main aim of task two is to let trainees identify the tools they have experimented with
in session two and realize they are grouped all together in Online Platforms. Trainees may also
identify a few more tools/functions. In any case, Trainer may point out some more tools in her
summing up. The Power Point presentation based lecturette is meant to further clarify what Online
Platforms are, but also to offer hints on how they may be used for teaching/learning purposes. The
main differences between free/open source platforms and commercial ones ought also to be pointed
out. Task four is meant for further exploration of Online Platforms, offering trainees the opportunity
to look for new features/functions, but also to let them think of possible teaching exploitation. At the
end of stage one trainees should have gathered a few ideas on what kind of support for teaching
Online Platforms may offer and what use can actually be made of them.