ABSTRACT
In this chapter we will discuss the pedagogical use of computer-based technology in schools through considering the emergent use of a new form of that technology, the interactive whiteboard (IWB). We examine it from a sociocultural perspective, taking Wertsch’s notion (1991) of the ‘heterogeneous mediational tool kit’ as a frame for this study. This particular perspective emphasises the study of tools as they are used in specific sites of activities of learning and teaching, rather than just the designed properties of these tools. It captures the broad multifunctionality of a tool such as the PC or the IWB, as it can be drawn upon in the course of classroom activities. As Wertsch comments, ‘only by being part of action do mediational means come into being and play their role. They have no magical power in and of themselves.’ (Wertsch, 1991, p. 119). Actions take place in specific settings and circumstances, and our research has attempted to take this into account. This sociocultural perspective has led us to examine critically some ways in which technological innovations have been represented and researched, and how their use is promoted in educational settings. Our discussion is informed by our past involvement in a range of research projects on the use of computer-based technology in education, but we will here draw our illustrative examples from one recent, classroom-based study in British primary schools.
