Discussion papers
Exploring new ideas in an informal format, these papers aim to raise questions and prompt debate.
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April 2008
Learning objects
Distance educator Ken Allan discusses the learning object, its design, development and appropriate use as one of the many components in the portfolio of applied e-learning tools and strategies available to the 21st century teacher.
- pdf version (pdf, 161KB)
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September 2007
Learning to be part of the knowledge economy: digital divides and media literacy
The ‘digital divide’ refers to the difference between those with access to new technologies and those without. However, as well as creating a ‘gap’, could digital technologies also hold the potential to bridge that gap?
- pdf version (pdf, 141KB)
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June 2006
One tablet or two? Opportunities for change in educational provision in the next 20 years
Sean McDougall imagines how we could embrace all the technologies that children use and re-organise our learning system to take account of them.
- pdf version (pdf, 118KB)
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May 2006
Using wikis in schools: a case study
Social software has the potential to support and structure communities where individuals come together to share, learn, create and collaborate with each other. Based on a case study in a UK secondary school, this paper explores the use of wikis in schools.
- pdf version (pdf, 279KB)
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September 2004
An anatomy of games
This paper describes the components from which games are constructed. It is prompted by the development at Futurelab of new formats of games, and the need for advice and guidance for designing and constructing games by considering some of the affordances of previous games.
- pdf version (pdf, 167KB)
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August 2004
The potential role of ICT in modern foreign languages learning 5-19
Looking at the current provision of language teaching, and at the future languages strategy, there are a number of key roles that ICTs have the potential to fulfil in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) teaching and learning.
- pdf version (pdf, 113KB)
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September 2003
The participation of children in the design of new technology
The participation of children in the design of new educational technology has gained popularity in recent years, with approaches ranging from usability testing at the end of a production cycle to long-term partnership.
- pdf version (pdf, 200KB)
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September 2003
Computer games and learning
Why do we think it's worth talking about computer games and learning in the same breath? The over-riding reason for interest in this field is that computer games seem to motivate young people in a way that formal education doesn't.
- pdf version (pdf, 176KB)