The construction of the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE) is confronting universities with a set of fundamental challenges. According to Erichsen (1998) “we are living in a time in which global views, actions and challenges enhanced by modern ICT are dominating and demanding every effort of institutions of higher education - though locally based - to stay or become able to compete in a world wide scenario”. This new situation is being seen by some countries as a great opportunity to rethink teaching in terms of student’s learning. Introducing this fundamental change involves big methodological challenges for higher education teachers. One of this changes being the increasing use of e-learning due to its potential for an autonomous and collaborative knowledge construction. For the Spanish Ministry of Education, knowledge society requires innovation and change in the traditional ways of teaching higher education students, producing and communicating information and accessing public and private services (MEC, 2003). In this context, following international trends (Hanna and Associates, 2000), most Spanish university are trying to make the most of e-learning both for widening students’ access opportunities to education and training and to develop teaching and learning approaches more in tune with contemporary visions of knowledge and learning. Although different studies have pointed out a set of important issues regarding the use of e-learning systems such as the considerable time, effort and skills needed to implement the full potential of technology (Sancho, 2004); the luck of motivation of e-learning tutors and luck of time for tutoring students; the implementation of inadequate methodologies for the new format; the luck of good and adequate teaching materials, being too often digitalised versions of those used in face-to-face teaching; little participation opportunities for students; technical difficulties. Taking into account the above mentioned issues, the research project: Teaching and learning models underlying the use of e-learning platforms in Spanish Universities, implemented by research teams of11 universities and partially funded by the General Directorate of Universities of the Ministry of Education (EA2004-0042), tries to answer the following questions: (a) Are e-learning platforms really used to align teaching and learning methods with the ESHE objectives? (b) How e-learning platforms are used and affect higher education teachers’ work? (c) What are the explicit an implicit learning perspectives underpinning the e-learning platforms used in the different Spanish universities? The content of this session will be around de following topics emerging as the main results of this research: Different policy approaches regarding e-learning in different Spanish Universities. Teaching and learning models underlying the use of e-learning platforms. Higher education teachers’ professional development opportunities. Organizational context and power relationships in the development of e-learning platforms. Main strengths and weaknesses of e-learning to meet ESHE objectives. The findings of our research will be discussed by Brian Hudson, from a European perspective.

To explore these questions we have implemented of a set of research techniques: analysis of e-learning policy, e-learning platforms analysis, on line questionnaire and collective interviews with key informants. The analysis and interpretation of data collected through these techniques has provided us a clear and insightful outlook of possibilities and limitations of e-learning platform for improving higher education processes and results.

The project findings are a significant contribution for understanding the complexities of implementing e-learning at higher education institutions and the main strengths and weaknesses to promote institutional change.