The "Web for Schools" project aims to makes a contribution to the creation of the information society by linking teachers and pupils all over Europe in the production of electronic educational material. The project considers that although many local and international initiatives exist in this area, most are directed towards creating an infrastructure. Information technology is an essential prerequisite, but infrastructure alone does not constitute an information society. It is the way this infrastructure is used, that will make the difference!
Starting with 150 schools it aims to eventually have 35,000 schools across Europe involved by 1998. While work in this area will not duplicate existing initiatives, a consistent and minimum level infrastructure must be established as a prerequisite for the skills transfer and community building. For this reason a shift in focus towards community building and skills transfer is required, since these are expected to be the problem areas of the future. A concerted effort by all interested parties (including political) must be launched in order to reach a critical mass from which infrastructure, skills transfer and community building will reach self-sustainable growth level.
The project has received funding under the EU Esprit 4th Framework Programmme.
Further details can be found at http://dinf.vub.ac.be/wfs/ but the site is rather disappointing at present.