In search of the virtual class : education in an information society

'Shirley zips into her skin-tight school uniform, which on the outside looks something like a ski suit. The lining of the suit in fact contains cabling that makes the suit a communication system and there are pressure pads where the suit touches skin that give a sense of touch. Next, she sits astride something that is a bit like a motorbike, except that it has no wheels and is attached firmly to the floor. Her feet fit on to something similar to a brake and accelerator and her gloved hands hold onto handlebars. She shouts, "I'm off to school, Dad". Her father, who is taking time out from his teleworking, begins to remind her that the family are going teleshopping in the virtual city later in the day, but it is too late, his daughter has already donned her school helmet. She is no longer in the real world of her real home, she is in the virtual world of her virtual school.'
Is this the shape of the future of education? This book presents a vision of what will happen to education and training as information technology develops. The argument is simple. To prepare people for life in an information society they need to be taught with the technology of an information society. But what shape will that take? Can the classroom as we know it - a communications system which has been in place for four thousand years - be replaced? The authors argue that through the development of telecommunications for telelearning a genuine revolution in education is in the making. The book describes how, through the convergence of a cluster of new technologies including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and the superhighways of telecommunications, a new educational paradigm will emerge in the form of a virtual class. Teachers, trainers and educators who worry about how best to prepare students for life in an ever-changing world will find much inspiration in this engagingly written and jargon-free book

Reviews 1

Choice Review

Tiffin and Rajasingham offer an interesting review of current international thought on technology-based education. The text contains an extensive bibliography and notes in which the authors cite the historical basis for their conclusions. Beginning with the references, they develop a philosophy of education based on their perception of a future information age. The weakness of their otherwise excellent book is its lack of organization: the topical chapters are not fully integrated. In general, the information is accurate and thoughtful. The vignettes and illustrations are generally excellent and support the text. The text, intended for advanced students, uses a great deal of educational technology jargon, and is therefore best suited for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students. W. S. Lang University of South Florida

Foreword	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xvii
Chapter 1 The Vision	p. 1
Chapter 2 Education is Communication	p. 19
Chapter 3 In a Class of Its Own	p. 48
Chapter 4 The Writing on the Wall	p. 71
Chapter 5 Roads to the Virtual Class	p. 87
Chapter 6 Telelearning in Cyberspace	p. 102
Chapter 7 Virtual Reality	p. 126
Chapter 8 The Virtual Class	p. 142
Chapter 9 Think Global	p. 161
Chapter 10 Act Local	p. 172
Notes	p. 188
Bibliography	p. 192
Index	p. 198

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