Education and Technology: Critical Perspectives, Possible Futures

This book offers a truly learner-centered and learning-centered approach to educational technology. In substantial and interdisciplinary ways it carefully builds a foundation not just for rethinking the potential for technology in light of educational principles but, more importantly, rethinking teaching and learning in light of technology's potential. Now that technology is both so ubiquitous in culture and has--as the volume points out--"underachieved" educationally, it is more important than ever to keep fundamental questions about its potential in the foreground of discussions about the future of education and learning. This volume makes an important contribution to that ongoing conversation by offering rich contexts for revisiting these key questions, whether through cognitive psychology, philosophy, activity theory and many other perspectives. More importantly, it models an intelligent and stimulating way of approaching these questions. Following a Preface by Stanley Aronowitz, this book divides into five sections and 14 chapters. Section I: Defining the Problem, contains: (1) Technological Determinism and Human Agency (David W. Kritt and Lucien T. Winegar); and (2) Plus ca Change, plus c'est la Meme Chose: Considering the Probable Futures of Education Technology (Neil Selwyn). Section II: Thinking and Learning, contains: (3) An Activity Theory Perspective on Educational Technology and Learning (Igor Arievitch); (4) Learning is Scaffolded Construction (Mark H. Bickhard); and (5) Silent Creativity and Non-Creative Talk: Fascination with Technologies as a Meta-Presentational Error (Jaan Valsine). Section III: Representing the World, contains: (6) Software for Educating Aboriginal Children about Place (Helen Verran); (7) Pinboards and Books: Juxtaposing, Learning and Materiality (John Law); and (8) Approaches to Creative New Media (Judy Malloy). Section IV: Engagements--Virtual and Otherwise, contains: (9) A tale of two settings: The Historical Arc of Two Computer-Based Afterschool Programs for Children (Mary Gauvain and Sharon Borthwick-Duffy); (10) Making Learning Whole: How Technology can Enable Holistic Learning Environments (David Cavallo); (11) Some Thoughts on the Economics of Education Delivery (Phil Shapiro); and (12) Education that Transforms and Liberates: Media, Artistic Activity, and Pedagogy (Kimberly M. Sanborn). Section V: Reflections, contains: (13) Will IT Matter and How? Critical Observations on Strategic Location for Information Technology in Higher Education (Warren Funk); and (14) Critical Perspectives, Possible Futures (Lucien T. Winegar and David W. Kritt).