CURRICULUM, ICT AND STUDENTS' AUTONOMY FOR A TRULY HIGHER BLENDED LEARNING EDUCATION

The evolution of information and communication technologies demands the adoption of new models of organizational work, new services, new attitudes and new teaching and learning approaches. The change, based on knowledge, generates expectations of how to proceed in the integration of technologies in the higher education.. In the process of the integration of web technologies in higher education system, there is no single recipe. Each case is a case and we must analyse the learning stages that can be developed online or in face-to-face mode. Aware that the integration of the web technologies in the Polytechnic of Porto/Portugal is not a perfect picture, the initial enthusiasm leads now to a reflection process, trying to define a learning maturity model for our institution. Technology alone does not change school practices. In order to maximize the benefits of technological innovation, it is important to change the way education is thought. The mix of a face-to-face and virtual-learning paradigms (more than tools) leads us to the complex concept of blended-learning environment. This is the field where we achieve the comfort of physical presence and explore the full potential of networked learning, mediated by technologies. Is no sense to transform online learning into a simple extensions of face-to-face learning. Focusing on the curriculum and information and communication technologies, this paper presents some guidelines that should be consider in the process of using web technology in a higher education system. It presents the main features perceived across more than 10 years of experiences. Some pedagogical issues and video's technics are described Related to the students point of view, we underline the importance of the development of students' autonomy. Thus, we also present some technological tools that could be used to improve the students' autonomy. The aspects described in this papers are the main guideline of the learning maturity model applied in Polytechnic of Porto and represents a radically changing on the way we think higher education, trying to creating a global learning environment where face-to-face class are planned as a complement of the online learning environment.