The Knowledge Illusion

The RS are  calling for views for the ‘Vision for science and mathematics education 5-19’ project and yet there is little mention of a role for technology and technology enhanced learning expertise is not abundant on the advisory panel. Why I wonder? We clearly need to communicate the value of TEL for science and maths much more effectively.

For example, last year in response to the Education White Paper colleagues and I concluded that we know that well-designed technologies can be used to good learning effect through:

• the creation and use of microworlds and simulations e.g. simquest, RoomQuake;
• dynamic computational modelling to support software that adapts itself to the learner. This is effective for well-defined subject knowledge domains (including professional practice), and procedural and thinking skills e.g. Cognitive Tutors, for maths
• participatory and personal toolkits to support inquiry-based learning e.g. participate, nquire;
• games and game development, if carefully designed can motivate learners, including those who are currently marginalised or underperforming, e.g. UrbanScience, ZombieDivision;
• versatile representational spaces to help people to see things differently and tackle the  unlearnable representations that can characterises ‘unlearnable’ material e.g. Migen.