Framing Technology Enhanced Learning environments: some perspectives and notions

Due to its interdisciplinary nature, the field of educational technology is characterized by approaches, models and methodologies that derive from a number of different disciplines. Consequently, to understand how the different approaches have been concretely applied to the design, practical implementation and analysis of learning environments integrating technology, it is necessary to refer to some overarching notions through which it is possible to link theoretical reflections and the pedagogical and technical considerations that one has to face when designing or analysing learning environments integrating technology. In this paper two notions will be considered in particular: that of perspectives and that of the didactical functionalities of an ICT-based tool. The idea is to use these two notions as conceptual complementary lenses: the notion of perspectives can help to better connect the educational technology field with related areas and concepts; the notion of didactical functionalities, in the framework of each perspective, can help to highlight relevant issues and research questions. The aim is to sketch a framework to support the understanding of research studies in the field of educational technology at the school level and, in particular, to situate, as examples, specific projects carried out at the Institute for Educational Technology (ITD) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR).