Technology-Mediated Communities for Learning: Designs and Consequences
- 1 March 1991
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
- Vol. 514 (1) , 159-174
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716291514001013
Abstract
Distance learning has become increasingly prominent in discussions of educational change. It holds promise of external learning beyond the physical confines of traditional schools, creating new forms of community. During the last decade, considerable experience has accumulated through projects that have implemented different innovative visions of distance learning. Five groups of issues have emerged that affect the success of projects; they are technology functioning, community creation, discourse forms, activity definition, and quality control. Several projects illustrate the influence of these factors in different contexts. The first research phase allows us to understand how the potential of the technologies can best be used and what supports are needed to ensure that these innovations are robust. The second phase of research asks questions about the impact of distance learning on cognitive and social functioning. These questions can be legitimately asked only from the prior sustained platform of practice.Keywords
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