Na senda da inovação tecnológica na Educação a Distância

Abstract

This paper focus on the relation between evolution of technologies and changes in what systems and models of distance education concerns. As point of departure for this discussion we consider the importance of technology in mediating content supply and in mediating communication between teachers and students and between students themselves. In this context, we discuss the concept of “generations of technological innovations” in distance education, first adopted by other authors. The author identifies the existence of five generations of distance education models as a result of technological innovation and gives a perspective of a sixth generation based on the most recent technological developments, in the domain of “virtual worlds”. We also characterize each one of the technological generations on distance education considering aspects related with mediatization and distribution of educational content and with mediatization and valorization of interaction and communications aspects between the subjects involved in distance education situations.