Description
Learning and teaching in an on-line environment are, in many ways, much like teaching and learning in any other formal education context. However, the pervasive effect of the on-line medium creates a unique environment for teaching and learning (Anderson, 2004). This century will see the emergence of a post-modern era of distance education characterized by increased diversity and choice (Garrison, 2000). Such development is made possible by new communication technologies, as exemplified by the evolution of the open universities in their adoption of new models to replace/complement the traditional self-paced, independent learning model of the industrial era (Davis, 1999). The implementation of these new models to formal master courses in specific areas of life sciences, mathematics and technology is a new challenge, where face to face field and laboratory activities are often compulsory.
This paper presents a preliminary reflection on the working experience of three masters courses taught at Portuguese distance learning university. In Portugal those courses are novel both in terms of the e- or b-learning regime, and in terms of curricular contents and professional competence outcomes.
; Costa, Fernando Pestana da 
