Acting as tutors in the ECSUT on-line course - how to promote interaction in a computer supported collaborative learning environment?

Last research in learning showed that collaboration has an important role, leading to a deeper understanding of knowledge among learners. But collaborative learning is not an easy task to be implemented and it must be supported for avoiding the achieving of an only superficial level. In this respect, various instructional ideas and computer applications (including web-based learning environments) became the ways for supporting collaboration. The paper presents the importance of tutoring in order to support and enhance collaborative learning in the case of the ECSUT - Educational Challenges & Solutions in Using ICT on-line course, organized at European level in the frame of three years Socrates-Comenius 2.1 project “FISTE - A Future Way for In-Service Teacher Training across Europe”- code 118766-CP-1-2004-1-RO-COMENIUS-C21, the project partnership being composed by 7 institutions, coordinated by Valahia University Targoviste, Romania. The paper emphasizes also on some aspects and results related to the development of the ECSUT course in a particular web-based collaboration / groupware environment