Preface: Reflections on the waves of emerging learning technologies
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Preface: Reflections on the waves of emerging learning technologies Curtis J. Bonk1 · David A. Wiley2
© Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2020
Abstract There have been many waves of emerging learning technologies over the past few decades. Some of these waves are extended, some waves are connected, and other waves are repeated. The authors discuss the special journal issue from the standpoint of their personal involvement in many such waves during their careers. They also detail the evolution of this special issue and the potential audiences and stakeholders for it. In the end, they pose several questions and points to ponder in looking toward the future.
Introduction This preface was written as a means of lending an historical context and some humanization to the systematic research reviews found in this particular journal issue. By including personal reflections, accounts, and anecdotes of our own participation in the field of emerging learning technologies over the past few decades, it was hoped that the research revealed in this special issue could be better understood and appreciated. Consequently, at times, our reflections and stories will be based in the places in which each of us worked; in particular, West Virginia University and Indiana University for Curt Bonk and Utah State University, Brigham Young University, and Lumen Learning for David Wiley. We feel most fortunate to have worked in such special places where so much was happening at significant moments in society in terms of emerging technologies for learning. Over the years, both of us have been involved in personally developing, funding, beta testing, researching, evaluating, and reporting on various software tools and learning-related portals (Curt Bonk since the 1980s, David Wiley since the 1990s). Our experiences hopefully equip us with useful insights and a base from which to offer a macro lens to this special issue.
* Curtis J. Bonk [email protected] David A. Wiley [email protected] 1
3432 S. Ashwood Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA
2
204 Highlands Road, Hurricane, WV 25526‑8402, USA
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C. J. Bonk, D. A. Wiley
Some stories to be told There is admittedly a lack of humanness when reading the seemingly endless rows and columns of data in the charts, tables, and figures of a journal issue that is focused on summarizing masses of research. Therefore, it is vital to keep in mind the personal investments that were made in different technologies as they emerged in assorted learning environments and situations. Stated another way, each of the thousands of research reports that were considered and then selected and analyzed for the manuscripts in this special issue has countless underlying stories. We start this preface with two stories of our own.
Story #1: Are you covering learning objects? It is 8:00 am on Friday morning September 3, 1999. Professor Curt Bonk (hereafter “Curt”), enters Room 1210 of the School of Education at Indiana University (IU) and finds it filled with many of t
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