Control and Constraint in E-Learning

Every learner is on a trajectory an individual path that involves choices about what to do next in order to learn choices that are bounded by intrinsic and extrinsic constraints. In some cases the learner controls those choices sometimes they are made by someone or something else sometimes control is negotiated or it emerges from complex interactions of many agents. Control and Constraint in E-Learning: Choosing When to Choose pulls apart that simple dynamic examines it in detail and explores its consequences to provide a new theoretically grounded approach to the design of e-learning systems to the benefit of teachers programmers researchers and instructional designers alike. In addition to shedding new light on traditional e-learning systems it demonstrates that the social technologies underpinning Web 2.0 are fundamentally different in their dynamics of control and consequently when designed and used with care offer benefits that significantly exceed the promise of their forebears.