Logo image
Back
Virtual teaching or virtually teaching? Does Internet-based teaching require multiple metaphors of mind?
Conference paper   Open access

Virtual teaching or virtually teaching? Does Internet-based teaching require multiple metaphors of mind?

P.C.S. Taylor, V.M. Dawson, D.R. Geelan and A. Stapleton
Teaching and Learning Forum 1999: Teaching in the Disciplines/Learning in Context (University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 03/02/1999–04/02/1999)
1999
pdf
virtual teaching.pdfDownloadView
Open Access
url
Conference WebsiteView

Abstract

At the time of writing the abstract of this paper, I (a teacher-researcher) am becoming increasingly mindful of the need to examine the epistemological standpoint governing my teaching role in an innovative Internet-based virtual learning environment. I have a growing concern about the epistemology governing the interactive learning activities of a postgraduate coursework unit for professional teachers learning at a distance. The 'constructivist' metaphor of mind ('knowing as thinking'), which shapes my pedagogy, might be marginalising unduly my teaching role. This is evidenced by my predominantly 'episodic' teaching actions in the Discussion Room (DR) of the Internet site; actions which involve writing fortnightly summative perspectives on learners' discursive activities. By modelling the absence of a dominating voice (or being silent) have I abandoned unwittingly the important teaching role of modelling the discursive practices that I value? Perhaps it might be fruitful to adopt an alternative metaphor ('knowing as co-participation') arising from a 'constructionist' epistemology in which mind is regarded as being distributed socially?

Details

Metrics

113 File views/ downloads
38 Record Views
Logo image