The Educational Cyberspace Affaire

Education does not exist in a vacuum. It is anchored
in a changing society; a society that is
characterised by an ever-increasing use of new media,
and of information and communications technology
(ICT) in particular. Not many people in the western
world remain unfamiliar with mobile phones, the Web,
and Internet related interaction. Evidently,
education cannot be left untouched, and the
increasing efforts to implement the use of computer
technology in schools on a large scale, testify to
this. Time to reveal once more the arguments which
are accompanying this implementation process, to
question the educational ideals it is based on, and
to uncover the underlying presuppositions. This
implies an investigation of various aspects of ICT,
like the way it tends to transform our thinking, its
language-based nature, and its intriguing ambiguity
towards the body. By elaborating the way in which
these facets of ICT colour our commerce with
(educational) reality, various perspectives on ICT
and education appear to be unpromising. However,
perceiving the educational relationship as a personal
affaire and the computer as an integral part of it,
seems to be a worthwhile alternative.

Autorentext

Bert Lambeir is doctor in the educational sciences, interested in research on technology, ethics and education, the educational relationship, violence, and the body.

Klappentext

Education does not exist in a vacuum. It is anchored in a changing society; a society that is characterised by an ever-increasing use of new media, and of information and communications technology (ICT) in particular. Not many people in the western world remain unfamiliar with mobile phones, the Web, and Internet related interaction. Evidently, education cannot be left untouched, and the increasing efforts to implement the use of computer technology in schools on a large scale, testify to this. Time to reveal once more the arguments which are accompanying this implementation process, to question the educational ideals it is based on, and to uncover the underlying presuppositions. This implies an investigation of various aspects of ICT, like the way it tends to transform our thinking, its language-based nature, and its intriguing ambiguity towards the body. By elaborating the way in which these facets of ICT colour our commerce with (educational) reality, various perspectives on ICT and education appear to be unpromising. However, perceiving the educational relationship as a personal affaire and the computer as an integral part of it, seems to be a worthwhile alternative.