Cyberspace and School Education

Abstract

The increasing importance of the Internet, and the ways in which students and educators react to Internet‐related environments prompts consideration of the nature of this new teaching, learning and cultural environment for schools. The Internet and other interactive on‐line computer‐based applications are related to concepts of cyberspace. Educational cyberspace is defined as a cognitive computer‐accessible space which can be differentiated from those spaces which are associated with the use of print and electronic media. The origins of cyberspace, based on the works of William Gibson, are discussed, and the related aspects, including on‐line and off‐line cyberspace, hypertextuality and asynchronous communication are explored in order to develop a framework (or mapping) of future educational cyberspace developments. It is concluded that an understanding of perceptions of educational cyberspace will become increasingly important for teachers as students continue to immerse themselves in both educational and recreational uses of the Internet.