The qualification of e-learning for higher education through the development of affective usability, self-evaluation test and virtual laboratory. In: 4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18)

This contribution presents some aspects of the Department Interdisciplinary Research Project (PRID) of Roma Tre University. The main aim of the project is to define an innovative e-learning integrated didactic model that can promote the acquisition and development of skills for Lifelong Learning (European Parliament & European Council, 2008). To this end, the implementation of the following essential variables and components of the Integrated Model is a priority: 1) the learners’ motivational involvement; 2) the quality of the experience of immersion within a virtual environment; 3) evaluation and self-evaluation practices. Considering the original model successfully experimented in the Degree Course in Education Sciences at “Roma Tre” University (Domenici, 2016) and particularly focused on evaluation and self-evaluation processes, we propose an implementation of so-called affective usability of the e-learning platform by creating relaxing, stimulating and aesthetic online environments, promoting a greater immersive capacity. To this must be added the students’ use of advanced ICT programs enabling them to experience scientific demonstrations and experiments in order to acquire a scientific mentality through the use of Context Simulation Tests and Virtual Didactic Laboratories (VDLs). The effectiveness of implementing the FAD e-learning system in acquiring the scientific thinking modality will be empirically assess. Keywords: Affective usability; Context Simulation Tests; Motivational involvement and immersion; Scientific thinking; Self-evaluation test; Virtual Didactic Laboratories.