Web-Based Instruction: Emphasizing Pedagogy in a Technological Environment-- A Message From the Guest Editors

Authors

  • Peter E. Doolittle Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Author
  • Margaret Chambers MindLink International Author

Abstract

There is a long and uneasy relationship between those who interpret instructional technology by emphasizing its technological component and those who emphasize its instructional component. At each new technological turn (radio, television, cable television, the Internet), a new age of learning and discovery has been proclaimed. Unfortunately, while these so-called "technological learning revolutions" have influenced the content of what is learned, none of them has had a lasting effect on the nature of the learning process itself. Why has technology had so little effect on the learning process? The primary reason is that in each situation the learning entity has remained the same -- the human being (see Clark, 1994, 2001) -- and changes in human learning capacity are evolutionary, not revolutionary. This lack of media effect on learning raises the question: If technology has little or no direct influence on learning in a technologically rich environment, then what type of pedagogy is most effective? This special issue of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching on Web- Based Teaching and Learning (WBTL) seeks to provide an entry into the discussion regarding effective teaching and learning in a Web-based environment. The Web is currently being used to teach a plethora of college courses in both developed and developing countries. With the rapid expansion of Web-based instruction (WBI), the importance of this discussion cannot be understated. This issue begins with a discussion of the basic Journal on Excellence in College Teaching principles, guidelines, and benchmarks involved in creating effective WBTL environments and ends with a series of reflections on the nature of the journey from classroom instructor to online instructor.

Published

2024-03-22