Distance Learning: Methodologies and Experiences, Venice International University

Isola di San Servolo, Venice --5 October 2000

9:00 AM Friday. We gather at the Calle San Vidal to await our water taxi

Left: A day before the conference -- Marco, who brought me to San Servolo to show me some VIU projects, stands on the little bridge in Campo San Vidal. Middle: The day of the conference, Nancy Keeshan, Pere Lluis Barbarà, and his wife await our water taxi a few feet from where the previous picture was taken. Right: Lynne O'Brien is first on board after clambering over the deck of a delivery boat chocked with beer kegs while the Barbaràs walk along the quai.

On the Grand Canal

I had to include a few of the sights we passed along the way: Santa Maria della Salute, the Customs House, and the Campanile from St Marks, the Library, and Palazzo Ducale draped on the side facing the water while restoration goes on behind the painted surface.

We arrive at San Servolo

The main building, the landing doc, and a view of the church, which is being restored.

The Speakers

Middle left: Sebastiano Bagnara of the Università degli Studi di Sienna talking on the need to delete memories, obsolete skills, and unneeded practices, particular in job retraining. Right middle: TeDIS Director, Stefano Micelli, who chaired the conference. Right: Ian Reid, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Curtin University Technology Learning, Australia, speaking on "Closing the Distance: current developments in flexible delivery of Australian higher education."

Left: Ian Reid. Middle left: a view of the audience. Seated in the front row immediately to the left of the aisle is Dean Ignazio Muso of the Venice International University.Middle right: Lynne O'Brien chatting with Pere Lluis Barbarà during the break. Right: Peter Scott from the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute showing his palm pilot recently attacked by the marble floor.

Left: Nancy K. Keeshan from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. Left middle: A speaker from Milan delivers the talk that Alberto Colorni of Politechnico di Milano was scheduled to give; to her left Stefano Micelli and Lynne O'Brien look on. Right middle: Lynne silhouetted against a slide from her presentation. Right: Pere Lluis Barbarà with a slide from his talk in the background.

Left two: First Pere Lluis Barbarà delivering his talk and then silhouetted against one of the slides he showed. Right: Peter Scott delivering "Online and the Mega University: a corporate university prototype."

Five thirty or so in the morning at a coffee bar in the Venice airport: Ian Reid and Peter Scott have an orange juice and croissant after surviving the motorscafi ride from the hotel. No one was more surprised than I when after dragging my wheely bag down the alley from the hotel and across the Ponte Giustinia through the darkness and drizzle, we found a motor taxi waiting for us a 5 am!

All of us have to thank the wonderfully helpful, always efficient Lucia Di Gioia, TeDIS Supervisor, for making all these arrangements. I suppose we should also thank the motorboat driver, who raced another water taxi through the darkness (and won), for not hitting one of those pilings that lined the way.

Return to G. P. Landow lecture schedule.