Using Learning Technologies International Perspectives on Practice

This edited collection focuses on the issues, practices, and experience of using new technology for learning through distance education. The book promotes cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary perspectives, acknowledges gender issues, and proposes context-sensitive guidelines for learning technologies use.

This collection of first-hand accounts from experienced and accomplished learning technology practitioners highlights issues in using learning technologies for flexible, distance and open learning. Drawing on their own experience, the authors identify and explore the most practical and complex issues faced and reflect upon the lessons learned. The definition of learning technologies is broad, encompassing not only the tools (print, audio, video, online applications) but their creative and informed application and social effects. Experiences from eight different countries are presented while the themes addressed include policy development, teaching skills, learner guidance, evaluation and reflective practice.Often, busy practitioners argue that they do not have time for reflection but that they do have time to swap stories with colleagues. Using Learning Technologies promotes such engagement through a broad range of first-hand accounts of facing the challenges entailed in using learning technologies. The stories recounted here speak directly to practitioners, researchers and administrators, provide a model for reflection and offer practical guidelines for comparison with the reader's own experience.

Part 1 Introduction 1. Using Learning Technologies: An Introduction Part 2 Policy Issues 2. Naming the Learning Technology Issues in Developing Countries 3. Public and Institutional Policy Interplay: Canadian Examples 4. Getting the Systems Right: Experience at the University of the West Indies 5. Developing Course Materials: A Context of Technology Constraints Part 3 Practice Issues 6. Lessons from Our Cyberclassroom 7. Teacher or Avatar? Identity Issues in Computer-mediated Contexts 8. Web-based Research Assistance 9. 'No One Will Listen to Us': Rural Fulbe Women Learning by Radio in Nigeria 10. Confronting Barriers to Distance Study in Tanzania Part 4 Quality Issues 11. Reflections on Evaluating Online Learning and Teaching 12. Evaluating the Use of Learning Technologies 13. Gender-sensitive Evaluation Research 14. Using Learning Technologies: A Synthesis of Challenges and Guidelines