Informaatioteknologia ja koulutuksen uudet strategiat. Spatiaalinen näkökulma

Abstract

Tutkimus käsittelee koulutusta taloudellisen ja teknologisen kehityksen osana. Informaatioteknologian kehitys antaa koulutusjärjestelmälle uudet puitteet, jotka luovat sekä uusia mahdollisuuksia että uhkia. Tutkimuksen empiirisessä osassa esimerkkinä ovat pienet maaseudun koulut. Aktiivisille kouluille teknologia on tarjonnut uusia mahdollisuuksia. Toisaalta uuden infrastruktuurin ja osaamisen rakentaminen on myös uusi painolasti. Teknologia sinänsä ei pelasta kouluja, eikä virtuaalikoulu ilman fyysistä koulurakennusta ole todellinen vaihtoehto. Mahdollisuudet syntyvät paikallisen toiminnan ja teknologian tukeman toiminnan yhdistämisestä.

This study considers education as a part of economical and technological development. The importance of technological development (especially ICT) has been recognised to penetrate the entire social life. Information technology is giving new setting for the educational system too, bringing as well opportunities as threats. Whole educational system, schools included, is met by challenge, which is not technology as such, but transformation of structures and processes. The key question in this study is: Will the new information and communication technology become a tool which restructures educational system and transforms processes of school in a substantial way?

The study is fundamentally multi-disciplinary. A general framework in the study is systemic approach, especially soft-system approach considering man s activity systems. The reason for the systemic approach is to combine different theoretical points of view. The concept of virtualisation is providing the framework theoretical content. General paradigmatic change as well in technology, production as in approaches to teaching and learning gives the study theoretical background. Education is considered in the first place as a commodity and as a branch. Development based on ICT is leading to deepening division of labour and globalisation even on branches, which are used to be local or national by nature. At the same time new opportunities will open for new distributed solutions flexible in relation to time and space, and for better access.

Small rural schools are the target group of the empirical part of the study. Based on survey and interviews study creates picture of the schools as users of ICT. Material is not aimed to give statistically generalized view of situation today, but focus is mainly on the future. That is the reason why the target group consists of schools, which are supposed to be inclined to change more than average schools. The idea is to develop hypotheses merely than explanations about the possibilities ICT can provide for systemic transformations, which can give schools vitality to survive. Conclusion was that new technology affords new opportunities for the active schools. Still all the schools do not share the same idea of the role of ICT in schools. On the other hand building new infrastructure and know-how is new burden for schools as well. Especially what comes to primary schools pure virtual school is not real alternative. Therefore it is crucial to combine technology based and locally oriented activities. New kind of structures will be needed to support established modes of activity and networking. ICT as such cannot maintain schools. Virtualisation in general means differentiation of production and consumption. It does not seem likely that the development of technology in general would support the small scale economies and deconcentration of production. As well regions, schools as individuals are obliged to re-form their role in a new division of labour.

Keywords: virtual organization, ICT, virtual school, systemic approach, information society