Does Technology Present a New Way of Learning

Abstract

This reflective essay suggests certain precepts that should be effective in the design of instruction and its evaluation, particularly if advanced or experimental technology is involved. The arguments are based on the assumption that human learning is a biological process that, when reduced to its essentials, is the product of evolution and does not change even as study habits do. The emphasis here is on the aspects of learning that are common to all humans and less on personal preferences for kinds of content or study methods. A brief review of the biological basis of learning is followed by some speculative suggestions on the use of technology and the outcomes of any pedagogy that are of timeless importance.