[Air-l] Re: Best practices in e-learning?

[Daniel Menchik]

Hi Monica (et al.),
 
These days there is a burgeoning literature w/r/t best practices around the use
of ICT by primary and secondary level teachers. Much of this discusses the use
of the internet in concert with more 'traditional' approaches to offline
learning. Authors address the liberatory elements of e-learning (usually in
reference to ideals of Freire), the social-psychological (e.g., Turkle, Papert).
There is a strong book edited by Hank Bromley and Michael Apple (1998) on
depictions of race/gender/class transmitted by/through ICT use in education. Of
course there are then the optimistic (Tapscott, 1998; Thornburg, 1994; Perelman,
1992) and pessimistic (Postman, 1993) description of possibilities. Google
should bring full citations to the above... 
These are not the latest works, but should give you an idea of the discursive
limits. There doesn't seem to be much empirical research on the effects of the
use of ICT (online or not) student achievement, but recent promising research is
changing this. I second Robert's endorsement of the UT clearinghouse for this,
and you might find something of value in the most recent issue of 'Current
Issues in Comparative Education': http://www.tc.columbia.edu/cice/ 

2 recs:
-Insightful book on general opportunities ICT lend (this level of) education:
BURBULES, N. & CALLISTER, T. (2000) Watch IT: The Risks and Promises of 
Information Technologies for Education.
-The best book I have read w/r/t efforts of teachers/classrooms attempting
international collaboration: 
BURNSKE, R. & MONKE, L. (2001) Breaking Down the Digital Walls: Learning to
Teach in a Post-Modem World, (Albany, NY, State University of New York Press). 

I have written a piece that uses theories of field of Pierre Bourdieu and Basil
Bernstein to map how disciplinary actors are shaping this emerging sub-field of
education, and how their knowledge is/isn't being appropriated by curricular
officials in the UK. I'd be happy to send a pre-print copy to those interested.
It's also forthcoming in April's British Journal of the Sociology of Education.
      
Of course, you could be referring to the use of the internet in instruction in
higher education, or non-classroom-based distance learning programs, in which
case the above might be marginally helpful at best ;) A few words on your
interpretation of e-learning might refine how others might help you review the lit. 

Hope this is helpful.
Dan

Daniel Menchik
University of Chicago Sociology
http://www.ssrc.org/programs/itic/
http://drdc.uchicago.edu/

>>From: "Monica Murero" <murero at eircom.net>
>To: <air-l at aoir.org>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:03:41 -0000
Subject: [Air-l] Best practices in e-learning?
Reply-To: air-l at aoir.org

Dear AoIR's, dear friends,
I am working on a new project to develop an e-learning
graduate  course in the area of digital culture and communication.

I am gathering information and I will greatly appreciate
your suggestions about  best practices  available
around the globe and/or distinguished teachers using this
approach (job opportunities will be available).
Thanks in advance for your toughts,

Monica