Abstract:

In the years 2006 and 2008 two residential Summer Schools on Conservation Science were successfully organizing by the Working Group on Chemistry and Cultural Heritage, European Chemistry Thematic Network. They brought together approximately ninety students and fifty lecturers from thirty-one European and non-European countries. Focused on the physicochemical aspects of cultural heritage preservation, and having a strong practical character, the Schools aimed at giving attendees a solid knowledge on the ways natural and material sciences are applied in the safeguarding and authentication of tangible works of art. Since the learners were not only second/third cycle students in both exact sciences and humanities, but further practicing restorers; their educational background, and even their way of approaching scientific problems, was very diversified.
Evaluation of the feedback brought about a two-fold demand, formulated by the teaching staff as an urgent need of creating classes with levelled basic knowledge and skills; and by attendees as a request for preparatory study opportunities. Addressing the issue would fulfil the fundamental prerequisite for active participation; and thus permit the 3rd Summer School, scheduled for July 2009, to perform on more solid bases.
The preparatory educational initiative is founded on self-paced learning using the concept of pre-lecturing material in an electronic environment. Major benefits of this approach are easy access and continuous support of active learning. The material in question for the present study was authored by the lecturers of the 3rd School, obeying patterns that satisfy the specific needs of both an e-learning environment and a homogenization procedure. Main criteria for judging the material have been keeping in accordance with the overall approach of the Bologna process concepts, as well as with the generally accepted methodologies for electronically supported distance learning,
Before offered to the attendees, the pre-lecturing material underwent an interim evaluation concerning its conformity to the abovementioned axes. Furthermore, lecturers were asked on the difficulty to follow the relevant guidelines, on the necessity of possible external assistance, on how far they considered the pattern imposed meaningful or even unavoidable; that is on their general attitude towards the proposed scheme.
The paper is proceeding to the evaluation of the feedback received, and is drawing conclusions on how far the lecturers are capable and/or willing to accept the abovementioned course structure, in order to fit with a framework designed according to the student-focused Bologna approach, and the fundamental e-learning practices.

Keywords:

summer school, interdisciplinarity, preparatory material, e-learning, course development.