Allan Martin – författare

Information technology offers powerful tools to facilitate and to assist learning across the whole curriculum; the computer is certainly the most significant development in educational technology in the twentieth century. History may be thought of as a staid and perhaps tradition-bound subject, more resistant to change than some areas. Yet in history too, information technology is making an impact. This volume shows how information technology is currently contributing to, and bringing about changes in the way history is taught and learned. The international selection of the contributions shows that these phenomena are not restricted to just one country. The impact of information technology on history curricula is explored in depth in one section of the book, whilst other sections focus on classroom activities and issues, on the development of software for history, and on the relevance of current information technology developments. But the question which lies at the heart of it all remains that of how information technology can enhance the teacher''s ability to offer situations in which learners can form and develop a real understanding of the nature of historical processes, and the ways in which they can be studied.

Information technology offers powerful tools to facilitate and to assist learning across the whole curriculum; the computer is certainly the most significant development in educational technology in the twentieth century. History may be thought of as a staid and perhaps tradition-bound subject, more resistant to change than some areas. Yet in history too, information technology is making an impact. This volume shows how information technology is currently contributing to, and bringing about changes in the way history is taught and learned. The international selection of the contributions shows that these phenomena are not restricted to just one country. The impact of information technology on history curricula is explored in depth in one section of the book, whilst other sections focus on classroom activities and issues, on the development of software for history, and on the relevance of current information technology developments. But the question which lies at the heart of it all remains that of how information technology can enhance the teacher''s ability to offer situations in which learners can form and develop a real understanding of the nature of historical processes, and the ways in which they can be studied.

In the 21st century, digital tools enable information to be generated faster and in greater profusion than ever before, to the point where its extent and value are literally beyond imagining. Such quantities can only be meaningfully addressed using more digital tools, and thus our relationship to information is fundamentally changed. This situation presents a particular challenge to processes of learning and teaching, and demands a response from both information professionals and educators. Enabling education in a digital environment means not only changing the form in which learning opportunities are offered, but also enabling students to survive and prosper in digitally based learning environments. This collection brings together a global community of educators, educational researchers, librarians and IT strategists, to consider how learners need to be equipped in an educational environment that is increasingly suffused with digital technology. Traditional notions of literacy need to be challenged, and new literacies, including information literacy and IT literacy, need to be considered as foundation elements for digitally involved learners. Leading international experts from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and throughout Europe contribute to the debate, and Hannelore Rader, Librarian and Dean of the University Libraries, University of Louisville, Kentucky, provides the foreword. The book is in two parts:

Readership: This book takes the issues raised in the successful Information and IT Literacy, also co-edited by Allan Martin, into a broader context. It is essential reading for all information professionals and educators involved in developing strategies and practices for learning in a digital age.