Module 3 Week 1: summary of 1-minute papers

• Considering how technology relates to learning can seem overwhelming due to the number of different relationships that are actually implicated;
• This complexity reflects the underlying reality that learning actually is multi-faceted, dynamic and chaotic and is not a 'singularity' or a linear process -- we need to think clearly about what we actually mean when we use the term;
• Which of the various relationships involved in learning is important when thinking about TEL is highly contextual, though that between learners and teachers often merits special consideration;
• Yet learning can mean more than just following the direction suggested by a teacher -- it can also imply developing learners in understanding their own situation and thus working towards their own development;
• Thus, we should not start by thinking about technology, but by thinking about the learners and what their needs are in developing their understanding;
• Socio-cultural perspectives can offer valuable insight when thinking about learners' developing understanding and the role of advanced technological tools;
• Yet such useful perspectives actually indicate that we need to think holistically about the range of tools in the setting we are examining, rather than focussing on one tool in complete isolation;
• We need to think about how we are using these different technologies appropriately ("well"), rather than focussing on binary questions of whether we should use them; doing so will involve thinking critically about the 'benefits' that we enthusiastically suppose we are bringing forward (including whether we think we are "enhancing" or "facilitating" learning);
• We need to see technology as being a part of learning in a vast array of different social contexts, and appreciate how those contexts will effect and permeate the learning that we are trying to support.