You are here:

Termites in the Schoolhouse: Stigmergy and Transactional Distance in an E-learning Environment
PROCEEDINGS

, University of Brighton, United Kingdom

EdMedia + Innovate Learning, in Lugano, Switzerland ISBN 978-1-880094-53-2 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

Full Text

Abstract

Transactional distance theory predicts an inverse relationship between dialogue and structure in an educational transaction. It is a powerful theory, but it may have exceptions. This paper discusses a class of computer-based educational environments that anomalously seem to combine both high dialogue and high structure. In such systems the behavior of users changes their environment, which in turn causes changes in the behavior of its users. Such processes are a form of stigmergy, a word originally used to describe this effect in termites, where it coordinates the formation of termite mounds. Stigmergy in an e-learning environment can enable a self-organized structure to arise out of dialogue, simultaneously providing both high and low transactional distance. Environments built this way may be very flexible learning spaces. A number of exemplars embodying the principle are described, followed by an exploration of unresolved issues and directions for future research.

Citation

Dron, J. (2004). Termites in the Schoolhouse: Stigmergy and Transactional Distance in an E-learning Environment. In L. Cantoni & C. McLoughlin (Eds.), Proceedings of ED-MEDIA 2004--World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications (pp. 263-269). Lugano, Switzerland: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved May 17, 2022 from .

© 2004 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

Keywords

References

View References & Citations Map
  1. Crossley, M., Davies, J., McGrath, A., & Rejman-Greene, M. (1999). The Knowledge Garden. Retrieved 23/11/99, from the WorldWide Web: http://innovate.bt.com/showcase/knowledge_management/links/kgarden/index.htm
  2. Darby, J. (2003). UK eUniversities Worldwide: Who we are and what we want from standards [PDF]. Retrieved 14/12/2003, 2003, from the WorldWide Web: http://www.imsglobal.org/otf/IMSDarby.pdf
  3. Dron, J. (2003). Sidewalks on the Information Superhighway. Paper presented at the E-Learn 2003, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
  4. Dron, J., Mitchell, R., & Boyne, C.W. (2003). Evolving Learning in the Stuff Swamp. In N. Patel (Ed.), Adaptive Evolutionary Information Systems. Hershey, PA: Idea Group.
  5. Franklin, S. (1996). Coordination without Communication. Retrieved 7/12/2000, from the WorldWide Web: http://www.msci.memphis.edu/~franklin/coord.html
  6. Grasse, P.P. (1959). La reconstruction du nid et les coordinations inter-individuelles chez Bellicoitermes natalenis et Cubitermes sp. La theorie de la stigmergie: Essai d’interpretation des termites constructeurs. Insect Societies, 6, 41-83.
  7. Hartwell, A. (1995). Scientific Ideas and Education in the 21st Century. Retrieved 15/11/99, from the WorldWide Web: http://www.newhorizons.org/ofc_21cliash.html
  8. Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. London, UK: Pimlico.
  9. Kleinberg, J.M. (1998). Authoritative Sources in a Hyperlinked Environment. Paper presented at the 9th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms.
  10. Kurhila, J., Miettinen, M., Petri Nokelainen, & Tirri, H. (2002). Use of Social Navigation Features in Collaborative E-Learning. Paper presented at the E-Learn 2002, Montreal, Canada.
  11. Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance Education: A Systems View. Belmont: Wadsworth.
  12. Saba, F., & Shearer, R.L. (1994). Verifying key theoretical concepts in a dynamic model of distance education. The American Journal of Distance Education, 8 (1), 36-59.
  13. Seely Brown, J. (2000). Growing up digital: How the web changes work, education and the ways people learn. Change Magazine, March/April 2000, 11-20.
  14. Siemens, G. (2003). Learning Ecology, Communities, and Networks: Extending the classroom. Retrieved 19/12/2003, 2003, from the WorldWide Web: http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/learning_communities.htm
  15. Small, P. (2001). A self-organizing, living database for volatile data. Retrieved, from the WorldWide Web: http://www.stigmergicsystems.com/stig_v1/papers/page1.html
  16. Tough, A. (1979). The Adults Learning Projects (2nd ed.). Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

These references have been extracted automatically and may have some errors. Signed in users can suggest corrections to these mistakes.

Suggest Corrections to References