@conference {2812, title = {Network Based Information System to support ODL Activities}, booktitle = {International Coference on Telecommunications for Education and Training 1999-TET99, Gjovik, Norway}, year = {1999}, month = {8 - 11 June}, pages = { 117 - 125}, abstract = {This paper presents the architecture, the design and the services of a network based Information System that supports ODL (Open and Distance Learning) activities. The ODLIS (Open and Distance Learning Information System) offers synchronous and asynchronous distance learning and MIS (Management of Information System) services to support the educational procedure. The ODLIS is a web-based application, which runs over the Internet using real time protocols.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Vaggelis Kapoulas and Apostolos Gkamas and Thrasivoulos Tsiatsos and S Kontogiannis} } @conference {2822, title = {A Web-enabled Communication Environment for the Education Community}, booktitle = {World Conference of the WWW, Internet and Intranet-WebNet 99, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA}, year = {1999}, month = {25 - 30 October}, pages = { 1198 - 1199}, abstract = {The research and development of computer-based, networked learning environments will be built around electronic communication and collaboration services that will play a significant role in the improvement of the learning procedure. Applications of this kind provide tutors and trainees with the ability of continual, close and efficient cooperation, en masse as well as individually. The goal of this work is the presentation of a communication environment that was developed in the framework of Odysseas project. The flexible design and implementation of basic communication services, accompanied with a friendly user interface, comprise an ergonomic environment and ensure the introduction of information technology in education as a daily communication and collaboration tool.}, author = {Christos Bouras and S Kontogiannis and A Bazaios and A Zoura} } @article {3065, title = {Results and experience from the application of a common methodology for Users Requirements Specification in Distance Education using Telematics}, journal = {Journal of Technology and Teacher Education -JTATE, AACE, Vol. 6, Issue 1}, year = {1998}, pages = { 61 - 74}, abstract = {The cooperation of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and the Educational communities, is recognised as a necessity that must result in the adaptation and tuning of the education processes in terms of pedagogical methodologies, school infrastructure, human resources development and organisational restructuring, in order to efficiently absorb and utilize technological developments. The ICT community has to realize the significance of the users{\textquoteright} needs, the difficulties of the intervention to an old and traditional process. And the need to view their technology applications not only as a technical exercise. The initial phases of the TRENDS project, which are described in this paper, resulted in an agreed common methodology for carrying out the necessary investigation of the user needs in secondary education. This methodology, which was followed more or less in all participating countries, produced answers to questions concerning the role of the educators and their basic training, their familiarity with technology, education policies from a trans-European perspective, the content, forms and aims of further training, the distance training of teachers in the use of new technologies, the motives, incentives and organisational schemes for enhancing re-education, the needs of the educational environment and technology-based training, the needs of the educators in practical didactic methods, etc.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Paul Spirakis and P Lampsas and G Tsakarissianos and J Garofalakis and K Antonis and N Kastis and S Kontogiannis} } @conference {2837, title = {Conclusions on the Analysis of User Requirements concerning the use of ICT in the Didactic Process}, booktitle = {ED-MEDIA/ED-TELECOM 97, Calgary, Canada}, year = {1997}, month = {14 - 19 June}, pages = { 13 - 18}, abstract = {The co-operation of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and the Educational Society, is deemed necessary for the adaptation and tuning of the didactic process in terms of pedagogical methodologies, school infrastructure, human resources utilisation and organisational restructuring. The use of ICT in the classroom should be viewed as a highly influencing tool that will support the educators{\textquoteright} effort for interaction with their students, rather than as a technical exercise. The initial phases of the TRENDS project, which are described in this paper, resulted in a widely accepted common methodology, that complies with the international standards for determining the User Requirements in the Secondary Education. The major results emerged from this survey are presented here, as well as some common axes that deal with the application of ICT in the didactic process.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Paul Spirakis and P Lampsas and G Tsakarissianos and J Garofalakis and K Antonis and N Kastis and S Kontogiannis} } @conference {2839, title = {Major Principles on the Design of an Educational Network}, booktitle = {Open Classroom II Conference, Crete, Greece}, year = {1997}, month = {17 - 19 September}, pages = { 359 - 366}, abstract = {The modern communication networks, apart from the specialized applications that they offer depending on the nature of their target groups, they support a set of general purpose elementary network services, that provide some essential communication facilities to the end users. Regarding an educational network, these facilities include collaboration, navigation into the information resources, as well as interpersonal communication, to the members of the Education Society. In the sequel the major principles on providing these elementary network services are presented. On-lline/off-line contact over an alternative means of communication among the members of the trans-European Education Society could be an adequate reason for the deployment of an educational communication network. This category of services will offer the members of the Education Society the ability of exchanging opinions on educational and social matters, as well as interpersonal messages, and collaborating. These facilities should be provided by already existing network services, enhanced where necessary by supporting multimedia information exchange (mostly off-line). In the latter case external media players of attachment viewers may be used for the presentation of the multiple media of information.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Agis Konidaris and Afroditi Sevasti and S Kontogiannis and D Fotakis and A Katanou and E Stephanou} } @article {3066, title = {Using Multimedia/Hypermedia Tools over Networks for Distance Education and Training}, journal = {Journal of Educational Technology Review - ETR, AACE, No. 7}, year = {1997}, month = {Summer}, pages = { 20 - 26}, abstract = {The rapid developments in the Information Technology sector as well as the deployment of faster networks brings us to the era of the New Information Technology (NIT). The citizen of the near future must be able to use them else he will be seriously handicapped in his everyday life. Thus NIT becomes part of the educational process while on the other hand offers the tools and the infrastructure for the establishment of the distance education process. The educators are one of the first professions that must learn to use NIT and its tools. Multimedia/hypermedia tools offer solutions to the problems posed by the distance education process. They can be user-friendly and enticing and they can cover most, if not all, the needs of their users. A lot of prototype systems (tools) for distance education have been developed, each offering a number of functions that aid the process of distance education. The rapid growth of World Wide Web is adding another factor that can lead to the wider deployment of distance education systems. Although the value of distance education is unquestionable there is still a lot of work to be done before a wide spread implementation platform emerges.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Vaggelis Kapoulas and Paul Spirakis and P Lampsas and A Tatakis and S Kontogiannis and D Fotakis} } @conference {2852, title = {An Interactive Cooperative Teleworking Environment-Tηλε{\textmu}άθεια *}, booktitle = {ED-TELECOM 96, Boston, USA}, year = {1996}, month = {17 - 22 June}, pages = { 37 - 42}, abstract = {

In this paper we present the design and the implementation of an interactive environment for cooperative teleworking. Telemathea offers tools that support the communication and the teleworking between tutor and trainee, who may reside in remote geographical regions. This environment offers audio communication over the network as well as support for joint editing of text documents and still images. It supports different audio coding techniques so as to adjust to the available bandwidth, and makes use of the RTP protocol in order to facilitate the exchange of audio and, in the future, video packets.

}, author = {Christos Bouras and Vaggelis Kapoulas and Paul Spirakis and P Lampsas and A Tatakis and S Kontogiannis and D Fotakis and K Kyriakou} } @conference {2854, title = {Multilingual Implementations of OSI Applications}, booktitle = {10th International Symposium on Computers and Information Sciences-ISCIS X, Izmir, Turkey}, year = {1995}, month = {30 October - 1 November}, pages = { 367 - 374}, abstract = {In this work the problem of supporting multilingual environments over OSI applications is addressed. Initially a solution based on the idea of using multilingual structures and transcription techniques is presented. Another solution based on the major principles of the former follows, which exploits the coding of all of character sets uniformally.}, author = {Christos Bouras and Vaggelis Kapoulas and Paul Spirakis and P Lampsas and A Tatakis and S Kontogiannis and D Fotakis} }