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For Assistant Professor Mark Pegrum, an education expert at The University of Western Australia, the ability to ‘attend' a digital technologies conference in the UK last week from his office in UWA's Graduate School of Education epitomises all that is good about e-learning.

Author of From Blogs to Bombs:  The Future of Digital Technologies in Education (UWA Publishing, 2009), Professor Pegrum's avatar attended the conference in the virtual world Second Life, where he gave a presentation and engaged in discussion with the audience.

"In education, there are techno-enthusiasts who hold technology in awe and believe it is the whole answer while others fear that technology will destroy centuries of education tradition," Professor Pegrum said.

"I believe neither is true.  Digital technologies are more like a set of tools, just as biros and white-boards are.  In the argument about digital technology, people forget that these tools can be used to support different pedagogical approaches.  On the positive side, they give teachers the ability to appeal to a wider range of students who have different learning styles."

Professor Pegrum is assessing current digital technology debates, including the proposed Australian internet filter and concerns about cyber-bullying and web nasties; and the proposed national broadband network and calls for education to enable students to be more creative and innovative.

There are also arguments about computers' harmful versus beneficial effects on the environment.  "While the computing industry is pouring the same amount of carbon into the atmosphere as the airline industry, it is also possible to see digital technologies as ecologically beneficial because you can attend an overseas conference without having to get on a plane.

"We need a sober and balanced approach to all these areas.  Only then can we ensure the decisions made on new technology in Australia reflect the interests of all its citizens, not just its politicians and lobbyists."

Media references

Assistant Professor Mark Pegrum (+61 8)  6488 3985
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716