Carolyn Dowling

Information and Communication Technology and the Teacher of the Future

The information and communication society is a networked society. We reflect on the concept ofa network and identify some profound changes in society. In such a society, knowledge is changing, new knowledge appears, and the structuring of knowledge is evolving. Access to knowledge is changing. The networked form of knowledge makes an evolution of educational systems and structures towards a networked organisation necessary. Complexity, which is a key characteristic of new knowledge in the new society, is reinforced and structured by networks. The teachers role is becoming more and more complex. We analyse some of the ways it is evolving, see how new technologies force us to confront the core roles of the teacher and reinforce some specific aspects of his/her profession, particularly the role as a mediator, and the role in the development of the collective intelligence. The teacher is now dealing differently with time and space; he/she uses new learning environments, which are more global and link pedagogy and school life within its whole. The growing complexity and the changes in education lead not only to an evolving teaching profession, but also to new teaching

Word processing and the ongoing difficulty of writing

Abstract Although the benefits of word processing are widely acknowledged, writing is nevertheless still perceived as an activity fraught with difficulty. It is becoming increasingly apparent that significant differences exist between traditional forms of writing and the experience of creating text on a screen. Some of these differences relate to physical characteristics of the computer, though others appear more subtly consequent upon what might be termed the “psychological” dimension of the relationship among computer, user, and text. It is interesting to consider the degree to which particular features of word processing as a medium might constitute new and significant impediments to individual writers. This issue is explored in relation to discussions held with a number of writers who had expressed concern that their expectations regarding the benefits of word processing were not being fulfilled.

The socially interactive pedagogical agent within online learning communities

Increased recognition of the importance of the social dimensions of learning has had a number of consequences for pedagogical theory and practice. Not least has been a blurring of the distinction between teachers and learners and, often associated with it, a reconceptualizing of the traditional classroom as a community of learners to which all members contribute. This new focus is reflected in many online learning environments, designed so as take maximum advantage of the opportunities for interaction provided by the Internet. Further, it is becoming increasingly common within such learning communities for participants to include software agents enacting a range of socially interactive roles ranging from fellow-learner to the more traditional tutor or instructor. This paper explores the extent to which these pedagogical agents can contribute to the effectiveness of online learning communities.

New educational technologies: do they improve learning?

Is the incorporation of new educational technologies into the teaching/learning process the key to an effective and appropriate education in the twenty‐first century, or is it a knee‐jerk reaction to external pressures that is unlikely to be of lasting benefit to students? This paper explores some of the ways in which technology is changing what, where, when, how, with whom and even why we learn. In situating these changes within a broader context of recent developments in social and workplace practices, the paper argues that engaging with new technologies is essential for educators, not simply in the interests of enhancing and making more relevant the educational experiences of students, but also of revisiting long held assumptions concerning best practice in teaching and learning.

Social interactions and the construction of knowledge in computer-mediated environments

A growing body of research suggests that the interpersonal relationships and interactions that mediate learning online may differ in a number of respects from those pertaining within face-to-face educational environments. Even people whom we ‘know’ in other circumstances may not interact with us in the same way within computer-mediated contexts. Furthermore, electronic learning spaces often encompass a greater range of participants than is customary within traditional classrooms, in some cases including personified and ‘intelligent’ software and interfaces. This paper explores some theoretical perspectives that support recognition of the importance of these factors in designing online educational experiences for students.

Social Learning Within Electronic Environments

Within both educational institutions and the workplace, there are strong imperatives for learning to take place within an identifiably’ social’ context, characterised by interactivity between learners and teachers, and between learners and their peers. Not only is this accepted as good pedagogical practice, but it is also important in situating learning within the type of cooperative, collaborative problem-solving environment characteristic of most contemporary workplaces. At the same time, online learning is becoming an increasingly important educational option for students at all stages of life. This paper explores some of the issues relating to how appropriate social modes of learning can be achieved within electronic environments, including consideration of the current and future roles of socially interactive software agents.

The ’social’ machine: the computer as a participant in social and cognitive interactions within the classroom

Computers play a multiplicity of roles in today’s classrooms. Some of these are rightly perceived as a matter of choice, relating clearly to prevailing educational aims and philosophies, to the intentions of the teacher and to the manner in which these can be realized through the resources available. Others, however, appear to be an inevitable consequence of certain characteristics of our broader conceptions and experiences of computing technology. This paper examines the degree to which the ‘psychological’ dimension of the computer leads it to function as a’ social’ entity within the classroom participating at a number of levels, beyond the deliberate intentions of the teacher, in the social and cognitive relationships and interactions which mediate learning. The contribution of the human/computer metaphors associated with traditional research in artificial intelligence is considered in combination with some of the implications of the use of language in human computer interfaces.

Evaluating electronic learning environments from a Lifelong Learning perspective

For many educators and indeed for many learners, ICT appears to hold the key to the successful implementation of Lifelong Learning. The capacity of the technology to overcome temporal and spatial constraints has obvious synergies with the need to learn at a time, place and rate determined by individual requirements rather than by formal structures. This paper examines the extent to which the quality of electronic environments designed specifically for this type of learning should be judged according to the same criteria and parameters that we customarily use in evaluating face-to-face teaching.

Intelligent Agents in an e-Literate Society: Some Ethical Considerations

One of the fastest growing applications of AI research is the implementation of computer programs commonly referred to as ‘agents’. This type of software is distinguished from more traditional programs by a high degree of autonomy in decision making and action, the ability to ‘learn’ from experience and to adapt their behaviour accordingly, and often a highly personified interface. Many are specifically designed to process complex information, make decisions and initiate actions in ‘mission critical’ areas of human endeavour including health, scientific research, government, business, defence, the law and increasingly in education. While in some cases we are aware of our interactions with these electronic entities, in many contexts their activity takes place ‘behind the scenes’, at a level not apparent to the user. Implicit in our conception of an agent both in the physical world and in cyberspace is the notion of delegation. Important aspects of this concept are our understandings of features of human interaction such as trust, responsibility, privacy and our capacity to judge competence and intention. Consideration of these issues in relation to the activities of software agents could lead to the formulation of a broadly based code of ‘agent ethics’. This could help in regulating some aspects of agent behaviour and act as a foundation upon which common expectations on the part of users might be formulated.

Mentors, Collaborators, Worlds or Wooden Legs: Some Images of the Role of Computers in Educational Contexts

For most users, including students, the choice of interface metaphors defines the nature, purpose and capabilities of both the computer and its software. In educational contexts the choice of interface metaphors includes consideration of beliefs and theories concerning the nature and purpose of education and the way in which learning takes place. These understandings are modified over time, resulting in changes to the types of metaphors which are felt to be appropriate for educational software. In addition to the choices made deliberately by software designers, most metaphors carry with them a legacy of extraneous understandings or entailments which may not necessarily be in keeping with their intended purposes.This article critically examines a selection of the most common and arguably the most influential of those broader metaphorical conceptions concerning the role of the computer in the classroom which have been responsible for setting the tone of student- com puter interaction.