This paper will seek to address the pedagogical principles inherent in the design of learning environments with such educational media as telematics and live interactive television. By drawing on actual examples of interactive learning in these environments, the nature of dialogue and communication in the learning process will be described. The paper will argue for a conception of leaning that is dynamically responsive to the needs of learners. An emphasis on shared understanding rather than teacher dominated discourse will characterise the framework described.
The paper will draw on the outcomes of our research and observations of learners at a distance in the electronic classroom and their process of learning to control the environment. Mastery for these students entails not merely analysing and reformulating information, but also manipulating the means of communication (eg. shared graphics, audio) and using the learning materials. In traditional classrooms, students must achieve a sense of mastery over the content, and negotiate this with the teacher. In both learning environments, different types of interaction occur, but they share common features. Active participation by the learner in the learning process can be achieved in both contexts, but in the electronic classroom and computer environments, this participation requires teachers to redefine their roles in a more conscious, planned and systematic manner. The paper will describe some of the instructional design considerations that have emerged from our research on these technology mediated learning environments.
