Interactive Learning & The New PDF

PREFACE

The Eindhoven Workshop was one of a series of educational research meetings which have become an important element in the programme of the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC) of the Council of Europe since 1975. European co-operation in educational research aims at providing Ministries of Education with research findings so as to enable them to prepare their policy decisions. Co-operation should also lead to a joint European evaluation of certain educational reforms and developments. The educational research meetings bring together research workers from the 25 countries taking part in the work of the CDCC. The purpose is to compare research findings on a particular topic of current interest; to identify areas of research so far neglected, and to discuss possibilities of research co-operation. The reports, as well as a selection of the papers of these meetings, are usually published as a book so that Ministries and research workers, as well as a wider public (teachers, parents, press) are kept informed of the present state of research in Europe.

The meeting in Eindhoven goes back to the suggestion made by the Dutch Ministry of Education and Science, and the Institute for Educational Research in the Netherlands (SVO), subsequently taken up by the CDCC. The Dutch Association for Scientific Film and Video (NVWFT) kindly agreed to organise the Workshop, in co-operation with the CDCC, the Dutch Ministry of Education and Science, and SVO. The Workshop was linked to a larger international conference called Media Manifestatie which dealt with interactive media in education and training. Both meetings took place at the Technical University of Eindhoven.

The theme "Interactive learning and the new technologies" was chosen because of the growing importance of the new technologies, both in education and the labour market. The idea was to put together research and experience to show in what way the new technologies had succeeded or can be successful in promoting classroom innovation through interactive learning.

Seven papers (covering France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) were commissioned; all but the Italian paper, the author of which was unable to attend, were presented in plenary session and then discussed in three working groups. National and individual reports from a number of countries, as well as lists of research projects and bibliographies, were tabled as background material. On the final day the Rapporteur General, Professor Dr. C.F. van der Klauw, from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, summed up the discussion and conclusions.

The following countries were represented: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. There were also observers from the World Confederation of Organisations of the Teaching Profession, the International Federation of Secondary Teachers, the Association for International Curriculum Development and WORLDDIDAC. The list of participants is given at the end of this book.

The Council of Europe is particularly grateful to the Dutch Association for Scientific Film and Video (Dr. Jan Tijmen Goldschmeding and Drs. W.K. Sprij and their team), the Dutch Ministry of Education and Science (Dr. John J. de Wit and Mr. P. Morin), and the Institute for Educational Research in the Netherlands (Dr. J.G.L.C. Lodewijks and Drs. Rob Verkoeijen) for their excellent work in preparing and organising the Workshop. The Council of Europe would also like to express thanks to the Rapporteur General, Prof. Dr. C.F. van der Klauw, the lecturers, to the group chairmen and rapporteurs, and, last, but by no means least, to the editor, Dr. Colin Harrison.

Author: C. Harrison