The use of audio and computer conferencing to support situated learning: the case of the Telelink Consortium

Computer conferencing and audio conferencing are relatively new technologies, each being increasingly adopted by educational institutions to support administrative tasks, to network teachers, staff, students and academics, to deliver courses, and to facilitate curricular activities. Both technologies aim at supporting place-independent group activities, one asynchronously, the other synchronously. Each technology has strengths and weaknesses, and specific benefits for educational activity. The author describes the use of these two technologies in the Telelink Consortium, a school-based project, to support teacher networking and curricular activities. He explores the integration of these two media and how they enhance education by facilitating situated learning, the provision of a meaningful context for students to collaboratively interact on curricular topics