Towards an integrated framework for designing effective ICT‐supported learning environments: the challenge to better link technology and pedagogy

For various reasons many teachers struggle to harness the powerful informational, communicative and interactive learning possibilities of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in general. This is perhaps typified by how e‐learning platforms and web portals are often used mainly as repositories for content and related online discussion forums as some kind of substitute for classroom interaction. Any educator wanting to effectively integrate and use ICTs for teaching or learning purposes needs to understand and apply basic pedagogical as well as technological principles of interaction design in order to develop ICT‐supported learning environments relevant to their particular educational purposes and contexts. This article responds to the challenge of reconciling the often conflicting technological and pedagogical senses of this concept in terms of outlining a convergent notion or integrated framework which also seeks to more effectively connect the alternate virtual and actual contexts of both teachers and learners. In short, it discusses the convergent ‘interaction design’ requirements and principles for: (a) reconciling or better linking technological and pedagogical aspects and (b) harnessing the powerful learning implications and possibilities of ICTs.