The Beam in the eye: ICT and the communicative Life-world of the school

The implementation of ICT in the everyday world creates problems that are related to the physicality of ICT. While ICT enriched the quality of distance communication, it has unimproved the face-to-face communication. My research tries to analyse and find solutions to this problem from the point of view of phenomenology and hermeneutics.

The PC does not have the same function in the class that previously was filled with paper and pencil and later with the typewriter and the calculator. It is an important distinction because paper and pencil and the typewriter and the calculator, were standing at the side of the communicative activity without preventing eye contact between teacher and student. In fact the computer is in the way of communication acting as an opaque black box for the user.When the PC is working properly, it acts as a communicative enhancer in many respects: unlimited memory, high speed, communication distance, multi-media presentation. But even in its best moments when the computer allowing remote communication, it act as one big clumsy barrier that prevents the face-to-face communication. My research project consists on studying how conflicts between different Life-worlds – the world of the technicians, the teachers and the students-- impede the acceptance of new technologies in schools.