ABSTRACT
We begin with the story of a project undertaken by one of us in using information and communication technologies (ICTs) with tertiary students. We then draw out of it some points for our arguments about the complex mix of literacy, learning and technology practices that contribute to tertiary education. This story might not seem immediately relevant to discussions of distance education in two respects. First, the students were present on campus. However, we believe that all learning – on- or off-campus – occurs in a variety of contexts, which are spread or ‘distributed’ over time and space. Some kinds of learning occur in the company of others, present in the flesh or through their words; others when one is alone with one's thoughts and materials, even in a crowd. And all learning occurs by means of various ‘technologies’ (pens, blackboards, books, classrooms). Second, the events happened in 1997 – a very long time in computerised education! – although similar stories of opportunities and challenges created by uncertain contexts of distributed education could be told today or tomorrow.
