Development of Higher Order Cognitive Skills in Technology Mediated Learning： Activity Theory and Distance Education at Makerere University in Uganda

Makerere University, having been in existence since 1926, is one of the most reputable institutions in Africa located in East Africa. Makerere provides educational environment to many students and therefore some courses are delivered through distance education mode. This mode calls for intensive use of technologies for instruction and learning. Technological advancements in this same university have gone through a number of progressive stages： use of traditional chalkboard technologies to blending technologies including the use of ICT （information and communication technology）. In order to provide a distance education learning environment that enables the development of higher order cognitive skills, innovations like technology mediated learning need to be clearly understood. This paper provides the theoretical view of distance education and technology mediated learning through the activity theory. The paper concludes with some recommendations of how technology mediated learning can lead to the development of higher order cognitive skills in distance learning.     

仿真技术在高等教育中的应用

仿真技术的发展为多媒体教学实现立体的、动态的和广泛的教育形式提供了技术技持,如何应用仿真技术提高现代教育的教学质量是当代高校教学面临的挑战.以教育改革为目标,从空间状态、动态过程和网络课堂三个方面研究了仿真技术与现代教育手段的有效结合,是对仿真技术应用性的有益探索.仿真技术在现代教育中的合理应用,可以提高学生的学习兴趣,帮助学生形成知识模型,扩展教育对象和降低教育成本,产生优于传统教育的教育成果.