Computer Technology in Higher Education: An Experiment, Not a Solution

One of the major issues in higher education today is incorporating computer technology into our programs and delivery systems. As is often the case with science and technology, many people assume that technology should be incorporated, and they move right into implementation without asking whether the technology should be incorporated and, if so, under what conditions and for what purposes. This paper raises some of those questions, with a particular concern for issues surrounding social responsibility, community, and alienation. Utilizing material from both sociology and the philosophy of technology, questions are presented with a particular concern for distance education. The paper concludes with a suggestion that we treat technology as an experiment rather than as a solution.