 E IntroductIon Since the beginning of the new millennium the term e-learning has received growing attention in the area of technology-enhanced education. The term, which literally means “electronic learning”, can be deined as “an innovative approach for delivering well-designed, learner-centered, interactive, and facilitated learning environment to anyone, anyplace, anytime by utilizing the attributes and resources of various digital technolo- gies along with other forms of learning materials suited for open, lexible and distributed learning environment” (Khan, 2004). Besides this wide deinition, it can be identiied different e-learning methodologies from a pedagogical perspective. More speciically, in the ield of formal e-learning a broadly accepted classiication introduced by Mason (1998, 2002), distinguishes between three main models: Content + Support, Wrap Around, and Integrated (Anderson & Elloumi, 2004; Bellier, 2001; Calvani & Rotta, 2000; Khan, 1997, 2004; Ranieri, 2005) This article aims to examine these different e-learn- ing models and discuss some recent evolutions in this ield due to the development of online learning com- munities (Palloff & Pratt, 1999) and the diffusion of social networking practices that have emerged in the Web in recent years (Bonaiuti, 2006). a revIeW oF e-learnIng Models content + support Model The Content + Support model is the more common solution for online courses. It may also be inexpen- sive if the multimedia and interactivity levels of the instructional contents are not complex. This model is based on contents delivery (i.e., printed materials or Web pages) with minimal support of the e-tutor (by e- mail or computer conferencing). It is characterized by the separation of content and support and is oriented towards individual learning. In this model the Internet is mainly considered a channel to transmit learning contents. The theoreti- cal framework involved in this approach is teaching by merely transferring information. In addition, the learning goal is already deined and participants do not contribute to the process of deining objectives, through negotiation and knowledge construction. The contents delivery may be either synchronous or asynchronous. A – Synchronous Delivery (Live) Typically, a synchronous delivery system is repre- sented by an audio/videoconferencing where both the sender and receiver share the same temporal mode for interaction. The speciic value of a synchronous delivery sys- tem is that it allows the interaction between people in different locations in real time. For example, a subject expert may give a lecture at a distance, and remote students may arrange for a session during which they pose their questions which are then answered by the ex- perts. Without this minimal interaction between expert and students the conference could be considered just a simple streaming. Furthermore it must be observed that this delivery system may encounter problems of accessibility. For example, full dual communication and interaction by videoconferencing is limited by the band constraints, which may prevent a certain number of people from participating in live events. It is much easier instead to manage a full dual communication with only audio and static images transfer (e.g., syn- chronized slideshows). Technologies such as Centra, for example, enable easy management of full dual communications. In all ways, this e-learning model allows a low interaction level being limited by the same constraints of traditional F2F classrooms, such as: Section: Context ICT E-Learning Methodological Models and Typologies Maria Ranieri University of Florence, Italy Copyright © 2009, IGI Global, distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.