ABSTRACT

This thesis is aimed to contributing to theoretical and empirical theories that are related to distance education teaching-learning process. For that reason, there has been a suggested academic distance education teaching-learning platform based on e-learning and video-conference, which emphasizes an active, meaningful and autonomous learning. This study is centered in the anti-positivist paradigm and in the critical theory, although with resource, in some cases, to the positivist paradigm because there were also quantitative aspects that are related to human structure and behavior that needed to be considered. In order to fulfill the desired objectives, this study presupposes the fulfillment/carrying out of a research that used a qualitative methodology, because the aspects dealt with had to do with qualitative aspects of human activities and experience. This was also complemented by a quantitative methodology. In this way and in accordance with the defined objectives, the current research is exploratory by nature and documentary in character which implied multiple methodology procedures predominantly originating from an action research. In order to get the final product, this research has undergone through four steps namely: i) Diagnose the situation of Information and Communication Technology use by the teachers of maths and natural sciences in the general Secondary Education; ii) Implement a masters course in virtual learning environment for mathematics and natural sciences in-service teachers; iii) Reflection about the practices and the practices of the reflection on training and iv) Evaluate masters courses in virtual learning environment for mathematics and natural sciences in-service teachers. In the end of the fourth step it was concluded that the interaction and participation can be improved through a mediate communication tool on the computer. This can efficiently be supported by collaborative/interactive activities and there can be created some enriched and authentic environment that can provide facilitating conditions for expanding the learning environment to society and overtake the understanding of very local scope. The integrated academic platform of e-learning and video-conference offers a wider and an integrated functioning that allows the creation of distributed environment which can support new approaches in qualification of mathematics and natural sciences in-service teachers, contributing for dissemination of virtual learning environment.

Keywords: Academic Platform, distance education, e-learning and video-conference.