The Mutual Impact of Educational and Information Technologies: Building a Pedagogy of E-learning

Abstract

Educational technology, as a subset of pedagogy, is the sound use of any technology to support and improve learning. Information technology, on the other hand, focuses more on the digital delivery of information. Technical issues tend to take precedence. In this paper we argue that educational and information technologies cannot be separated. For better or for worse they impact upon one another. When one seeks to improve learning using digital media pedagogical considerations are always an issue. We believe there is a need for a conscious pedagogy of e-learning. The same fundamental questions that are asked of traditional university pedagogy need to be asked of e-learning but, in addition, the potential for a radically different, more innovative pedagogy has to be explored. E-learning is made possible by a revolution in information communication technology (hereafter ICT). Changes occurring as a result of the revolution continue at an exponential rate. The most obvious change as far as tertiary education is concerned involves the expansion of off-campus courses. E-learning is here to stay both as a support for face- to-face teaching and as the main means of distance education. Good pedagogy can inform and be supported by good ICT. Poor pedagogy can subvert the very point of using good ICT. A combination of bad pedagogy and bad ICT is a disaster for the future of e-learning.