[[!meta title="Choose Your Own (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Adventure"]] [[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2021 Greta Goetz"]] [[!inline pages="internal(2021/info/adventure-nav)" raw="yes"]] # Choose Your Own (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Adventure Greta Goetz This presentation will move through Emacs artifacts illustrating possible paths for beginners and then map out some supportive roles for the enhanced learning potential (cf. Caillet in Andler & Guerry, Engelbart) of Emacs. Emacs affords diverse possibilities for individuals to interact creatively and autonomously with their digital environment and others to satisfy their own needs (Illich) and fulfills the promise of digital tools to help enhance our learning (e.g. Engelbart), balancing creativity with guidance (Goodyear & Retalis). # Intro Emacs allows for play with formality and does not limit imaginable types of interactivity, supporting both formal and informal learning (cf. Caillet in Andler & Guerry 2008), therefore it can function as a scaffold for development (cf. Vygotsky 1979: 86) and the creative and autonomous ability of individuals to interact with their digital environment and others who equally share the ability to use this tool (Illich 1973). Individuals can use Emacs as often or seldom as they want to express their needs and meaning in action, with no obligation to use it (cf. Illich 1973: 22). The formal learning involved pertains to Emacs documentation (the 'temple') while related discussion and copying of or composing parts of inits or smaller task-based problem solving represents the 'forum'. The latter, demonstrative of technology-enhanced learning, allows for engagement in diverse and individual levels of learning, balancing creativity with guidance (Goodyear & Retalis 2010: 4). 1. What if we are beginners overwhelmed by formal Emacs documentation? Two possible learning paths: - a. Build on a needs-basis. Brief explanation and rationale [1 para]. - b. Study others' inits and use-cases; Read Planet EmacsLife; Consult what programmers or power users say [1 link example for each]. 2. Emacs as technological networks for enhanced learning with boundaries through [section supplemented by some examples, and illustrated by a mind-map to bring coherence]: - The 'wise' use of computers (Crichton) to manage and organize workflow - Fun use of computers - 'there are people who want to put a stop to that' (Crichton) - Disciplinary use-cases can give insight into how various Emacs capabilities fit into the mental models particular to disciplinary context. This can improve design performance while educating the designer (Goodyear & Retalis 2010). - Allows for multiple and organically changing organization of knowledge. This is opposed to relegating it to pre-fabricated fields, which is the case when using apps (as if all learners have the same spatial/visual needs?! - Emacs is developed and maintained by a community dedicated to keeping this freedom of use in these multiple contexts (cf. Illich 1973). - Emacs thus allows us to control our tools and tasks (Illich 1973: - in order to release ourselves from the tasks of *automatic* maintenance (cf. Latour's 1987 simple customers'). By contrast, the care-less use of automatizing pre-fabricated apps leads to knowledge loss and loss of know-how in life (Stiegler 2018). - Emacs fulfills the promise of the value of technology-enhanced learning (Goodyear & Retalis 2010) e.g. by augmenting OUR intellect (cf. Engelbart 1962), not automatizing our knowledge to smaller repetitive tasks that contribute to a larger picture we cannot see. # Conclusion Emacs does not limit any imaginable type of interactivity and promotes a diversity of related content, further supporting pursuit of more advanced technology-enhanced learning (TEL). TEL, with its current *general* reliance on pre-fabricated one-size-fits-all software, does not reach its potential where it uses apps or tools that automatize knowledge. By contrast, Emacs enables us to learn this knowledge work, and supports informal learning at all levels. This includes the most basic needs-use level while also inviting us through its myriad use-case examples to learn how work is managed, organized, and coordinated for the benefit of the diverse community made possible by maintainers and developers. Using Emacs not only means being able to use this digital tool, but to learn about the structure of digital learning and learning in general. # References - - - - - - - Bruce, B. & Levin, J. (1997). Educational technology: media for inquiry, communication, construction, and expression. J. Educ. Comput. Res. 17(1), pp. 79–102. - Caillet, E. (2008). L’exposition, le musée: L’éducation informelle comme école de l’éducation formelle, pp. 137-154. In Andler, D. & Guerry, B., Eds., Apprendre Demain: Sciences cognitives et éducation à l’ère numérique. Paris: Hatier. - Crichton, M. (1983). Electronic Life. New York: Knopf. - Engelbart, D. (1962). Augmenting human intellect: A conceptual framework. Menlo Park: Stanford Research Institute. - Goodyear, P. & Retalis, S. (2010). Learning, Technology and Design, pp. 1-27. In Goodyear, P. & Retalis, S. (Eds.) Technology-Enhanced Learning: Design Patterns and Pattern Languages. Rotterdam, Boston: Sense Publishers. - Illich, I. (1973). Tools of conviviality. New York: Harper & Row. - Latour, B. (1987). Science in Action. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press. - Stiegler, B. (2018). The neganthropocene. Open Humanities Press. - Vygotsky, L. (1979). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological - Processes. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press. # Availability and preferred Q&A approach Due to the pandemic situation, my teaching schedule fluctuates so I will not know my availability until much closer to the date. Therefore, I can only guarantee delayed answer response (whatever you request), but if available, will join live. May I please note that I will be pre-recording my video if this submission is accepted. # Speaker release By submitting this proposal, I agree that my presentation at EmacsConf 2021 is subject to the following terms and conditions: The EmacsConf organizers may capture audio and video (a "Recording") of my presentation and any associated materials, which may include slides, notes, transcripts, and prerecording(s) of my presentation that I provide to the EmacsConf organizers. I authorize the EmacsConf organizers to distribute, reproduce, publicly display, and prepare derivative works of the Recording and any derivative works of the Recording (the "Licensed Materials") under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. I grant to the EmacsConf organizers permission to use my name, likeness, and biographic information in association with their use of the Licensed Materials under the above license. I represent that I have the authority to grant the above license to the EmacsConf organizers. If my presentation incorporates any material owned by third parties, I represent that the material is sublicensable to the EmacsConf organizers or that my use of them is fair use. [[!inline pages="internal(2021/info/adventure-schedule)" raw="yes"]] [[!inline pages="internal(2021/info/adventure-nav)" raw="yes"]]