Hosein Ebrahimabadi
Abstract
Information technology and its consequent virtual space are opening up a new sphere in psychological, sociological and cultural studies associated with the mutual effect of technology, culture and human beings in general, and the interaction of cyberspace and culture, identity and human relationships. ...
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Information technology and its consequent virtual space are opening up a new sphere in psychological, sociological and cultural studies associated with the mutual effect of technology, culture and human beings in general, and the interaction of cyberspace and culture, identity and human relationships. Recent studies in this field should be examined at least to realize whether the psychological and social outcomes and the pathology of virtual spaces are the result of the overflow of problems and issues of society and the real space into virtual space, and to decide if the challenges and the social problems in question are due to the development and growth of electronic media and virtual space? While describing and explaining the effect of culture, society and their consequent traditions on virtual spaces, relationships and their content, and examining the effect of virtual space on culture, social actions, identity, attitudes and individual and collective behavior, the present article stresses that considering the short history and the little experience of the interaction between human and information technology and virtual space, it seems too soon to speak decisively about the outcomes of information technology and virtual spaces. Therefore, two principles are suggested to be established in cultural and social research on cyberspace. First, in the study of virtual space, priorities should be identified correctly and one should not merely focus on the problems resulting from information and communication technology instead of dealing with fundamental issues. Second, both in the theoretical and the methodological aspects of studies on virtual space, in different social and cultural spheres, one cannot rely merely on traditional theories and method, and new methods, in terms of theory, methodology and tools, should be applied.
Hossein Ebrahimabadi
Abstract
In addition to the curriculum and the learning targets, there are some other points –as “the culture of the real life”, “patterns of communication and virtual-life’s experiencing”, and generally “pattern of communication and internet usage”- should be considered ...
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In addition to the curriculum and the learning targets, there are some other points –as “the culture of the real life”, “patterns of communication and virtual-life’s experiencing”, and generally “pattern of communication and internet usage”- should be considered in evaluating internet. Applying results of a survey on the impacts of both the web-based and the traditional educational methods on students’ learning and motivation, the present study explores the patterns of internet usage. Research method is experimental, using the t test for independent groups and analyzing multi-variable regression, and some points as the population, method of sampling and data gathering is explained in the article. Results show that there is a meaningful difference between the grades of the test group and the witness group; thus variable of “the internet usage” could predict changes in learning. In other words, supra-usage of internet would decrease learning and curriculum development. However, using internet for scientific and schooling would cause students to correlate their patterns of computer and internet usage. As results show, decline in entertaining usage of internet is related to the socio-cultural context, way and amount of participating in the web, and the quality of virtual learning sphere, rather than the interest or disinterest of the users.
