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[[!meta title="Choose Your Own (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Adventure"]]
[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2021 Greta Goetz"]]
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# Choose Your Own (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Adventure
Greta Goetz
This presentation will move through Emacs artifacts: first illustrating possible paths for beginners and then mapping out the significance of the enhanced learning potential of Emacs (Caillet in Andler & Guerry, Engelbart, Markauskaite & Goodyear). The technology-enhanced learning (TEL) that Emacs affords includes a systems view of 'many, many features' (Stallman) which surpass the confines of a pre-fabricated environment (Stiegler). This affords diverse possibilities for individuals to interact creatively and autonomously to satisfy their own needs (Illich). Its adaptability will be shown to be an asset in supporting the learning trends identified by the latest pedagogical research (Guo).
# Intro
The 'many, many features' (Stallman 2002: 4) of Emacs do not limit imaginable types of interactivity, supporting both formal and informal learning (cf. Caillet in Andler & Guerry 2008). Emacs can function as a scaffold for development (cf. Vygotsky 1979: 86), promoting the creative and autonomous ability of individuals to interact with their digital environment and others who share the use of 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).
The formal learning involved pertains to Emacs programs and documentation (the 'temple') while related discussion and smaller task-based problem solving represents examples of informal learning (the 'forum') (cf. Caillet in Andler & Guerry 2008). As a context-rich environmnet (Trocmé-Fabre 1999), Emacs fulfills the promise of general computing: not boxing users into personas but allowing users at all levels to organize and assemble multiple knowledge domains (Markauskaite & Goodyear 2017) and programs so that they are 'just right'. People wanting to create tailored learning environments who feel alienated or unsupported by pre-fabricated text and programming environments will find their way with Emacs.
1. What if we are beginners overwhelmed by formal Emacs documentation? Two potential learning paths:
- a. Build on a needs-basis. Make your own artifacts: no use-case is too small; leave your trace.
- b. Study others' inits and use-cases; Read Planet EmacsLife; Consult programmer or power user use-cases; Map out workflows.
2. Emacs as systems design for technology-enhanced learning (TEL):
- a. Good TEL design performance should also educate the designer (Goodyear & Retalis 2010). Further, good design focuses on 'centers' of activity, each 'made of a center surrounded by a boundary which itself is made of centers' (Alexander 1993 in Gabriel 1996), assembling epistemic domains (Markauskaite & Goodyear 2017). This pedagogical approach is supported by Emacs artifacts (packages, documentation, forums, etc.)
- b. The 'wise' use of programming (Crichton 1983) actively manages and organizes workflow. This permits iterative development. Use-case: being stuck with PPT and Zoom vs. already having a more modular viewpoint supported by diverse Emacs packages. The latter adaptablity is supported by the latest educational research (Guo). Further: Emacs allows movement from user to contributor (Stiegler, Stavrou).
- c. Wise programming can include fun programming - 'there are people who want to put a stop to that' (Crichton 1983, Gaffney 2019).
- d. Extending on this systems/design view, Emacs is developed and maintained by a community dedicated to keeping this freedom of use in these multiple contexts (cf. Illich 1973).
- e. One perspective is less likely to override others in such a heterogeneous environmnet (Morin 2004).
3. Emacs as means for construction of self:
- a. The 'grammar of interaction' (Gaume in Andler & Guerry 2009) is existential: something to be experienced. Emacs allows for multiple and organically changing organization of knowledge. This is imporant as not all learners have the same spatial/visual needs and because these needs can change over time (Vygotsky 1979, Wang 2020).
- b. Emacs allows us to control our tools and tasks (Illich 1973) in order to release ourselves from the tasks of *automatic* maintenance (cf. Latour 1987, Stiegler 2018). By contrast, care-less use of pre-fabricated apps can lead to loss of know-how in life (Stiegler 2018, 2016).
- c. The art of collecting traces (digital or not) is timeless - and important to survival.
# Conclusion
Emacs does not limit any imaginable type of interactivity and promotes a diversity of related content, further supporting the pursuit of more advanced TEL. This was illustrated through an elementary use-case that compared being limited to PPT as opposed to having basic familiarity with Emacs, which permits manageable, continuous exploration of knowledge, workflows, and tools (cf. Alexander in Gabriel, Goodyear & Retalis) and movement from consumer to creator (Stiegler, Stavrou). Using Emacs means being able to use a sophisticated digital tool, thanks to the contributions of heterogeneous maintainers, developers, and community members whose artifacts comprise a meta picture. It is possible, through using Emacs, to learn about the design of digital learning and learning in general, as access to knowledge is not walled off by prefabricated design. We can choose our own adventure.
# References
- Bin, C. (2020). Mastering Emacs in one year. <https://github.com/redguardtoo/mastering-emacs-in-one-year-guide/blob/master/guide-en.org#on-the-shoulders-of-giants>
- 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.
- Gabriel, R. (1996). Patterns of software. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Gaffney, N. (2019). Oblique strategies. <https://github.com/zzkt/oblique-strategies>
- Goetz, G. (2021). Additional references: A back-to-school/GTD Emacs journey. <https://gretzuni.com/articles/a-back-to-school-gtd-emacs-journey>
- 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.
- Guerry, B. (2020). Org-mode features you may not know. <https://bzg.fr/en/some-emacs-org-mode-features-you-may-not-know/>
- Guerry, B. & Gaume, N. (2008). Ce que les jeux vidéo nous apprennent. In Andler, D. & Guerry, B., Eds., Apprendre Demain: Sciences cognitives et éducation à l’ère numérique. Paris: Hatier.
- Guo, P. Selected publications. <https://pg.ucsd.edu/pubs.htm>
- Illich, I. (1973). Tools of conviviality. New York: Harper & Row.
- Kaiser, K. (2017). Writing a technical book in Emacs and Org-mode. <https://www.kpkaiser.com/programming/writing-a-technical-book-in-emacs-and-org-mode/>
- Kitchin, J. (2014). What we are using org-mode for. <https://kitchingroup.cheme.cmu.edu/blog/2014/08/08/What-we-are-using-org-mode-for/>
- Latour, B. (1987). Science in action. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press.
- Markauskaite, L. & Goodyear, P. (2017). Epistemic fluency and professional education: innovation, knowledgeable action and actionable knowledge. Dordrecht: Springer.
- Morin, E. ([2004] 2008). La Méthode - tome 6: Éthique. Éditions du Seuil: Paris.
- Planet Emacs Life. <https://planet.emacslife.com/>
- Stallman, R. (2002). Free software, free society. GNU Press, Free Software Foundation.
- Stavrou, P. My packages for GNU Emacs. <https://protesilaos.com/emacs/>
- Stiegler, B. (2016). Automatic society. The future of work (Vol. 1). Polity.
- Stiegler, B. (2018). The neganthropocene. Open Humanities Press.
- Trocmé-Fabre, H. (1999). Réinventer le métier d’apprendre. Paris: Éditions d’organisation.
- Vygotsky, L. (1979). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press.
- Wang, S. (2020). Open knowledge. Hope in Source. <https://hopeinsource.com/open-knowledge/#open-source-knowledge-proof-of-work>- Wellons, C. Emacs articles. <https://nullprogram.com/tags/emacs/>
# 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,
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I grant to the EmacsConf organizers permission to use my name,
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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.
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