An innovative tool for olfactive learning with Tangible User Interfaces in MOOC learning for viticulture and enology learning Raffaele Di Fuccio a , Giusi Antonia Toto b , Michela Ponticorvo c , Anna Parola c , Davide Marocco c , and Orazio Miglino c a Smarted srl, Via Riviera di Chiaia 256, Naples, Italy b University of Foggia, Via Arpi, 176, Foggia, 71121, Italy c University of Naples Federico II, Via Porta di Massa, 1, Naples, Italy Abstract The paper presents MERGO an EU-funded project that delivers a MOOC in enology and wine tasting combined with a laboratorial olfactory experience based on Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) paradigms. The focus of the article is on the description of the MERGO TUI prototype that allows the user to improve and train their olfactory knowledge, as procedural learning system. The users interact with a common olfactory learning kit enhanced with RFID technology and recognized by an active RFID antenna. In this way, the software propones exercises, hints and feedbacks for enhancing the olfactory competences connected to the lesson provided in the MOOC on enology, viticulture and wine testing. Keywords 1 Instructional design, four-component instructional design, 4C-ID, complex learning 1. Introduction Hybrid educational systems are rapidly improving their impact in the higher education practices, bridging distance learning and face-to-face lessons [10]. After the COVID-19 crisis, the need of new ways for teaching and learning emerged, and teaching institutions finds the distance learning as a possible solution for dealing this context. Nevertheless, a series of unprecedented dynamics have emerged, for example are emerging some resistances towards digital technologies. This approach is also related to the low perceived skills in managing digital environments. [11, 12] In this context, the courses that suffered the greatest impact are those where it is not possible to release the practical learning from a theoretical teaching. These courses need of laboratorial components and experiential moments. Typically, in the MOOCs that are available, the declaratory learning (thus based on theoretical contents) is prevalent and traditionally supported by lessons and didactical materials with a verbal approach that could be covered with slides, videos, wikis, etc. The procedural learning in online courses could be done only with digital assets, as the inclusion of serious games [13], simulations, gamified approaches, and interactive resources [14]. These strategies are well-accepted but not useful for all the topics. One those subjects that could affect from the online is the enology and viticulture teaching. The academic lessons in enology are based on theoretical teaching, that are supported by an intense laboratory activity where the “student” could learn, with a guidance, in the acquiring the multisensorial skills for the wine recognition (olfactive, gustative and visual). Then, as it is typical in each training processes, the declaratory learning is consequently supported by lessons and didactical materials with a linguistic approach (slides, articles, etc.), [15] but for enology the procedural learning is need for the learning of the basic olfactory features of wines in laboratorial contexts, thus in Proceedings of Second Workshop on Technology Enhanced Learning Environments for Blended Education, October 5–6, 2021, Foggia, Italy EMAIL: raffaele.difuccio@gmail.com (R.D.F.); giusi.toto@unifg.it (G.A.T.); michela.ponticorvo@unina.it (M.P.); anna.parola@unina.it (A.P.); davide.marocco@unina.it (D.M.); orazio.miglino@unina.it (O.M.) ORCID: 0000-0001-8886-3967 (R.D.F.); 0000-0001-5538-5858 (G.A.T.); 0000-0003-2451-9539 (M.P.); 0000-0002-3002-6522 (A.P.); 0000-0001-5185-1313 (D.M.); 0000-0002-7331-6175 (O.M.) © 2021 Copyright for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). CEUR Workshop Proceedings (CEUR-WS.org) CEUR Workshop Proceedings http://ceur-ws.org ISSN1613-0073