Online Learning and Community Cohesion

Roger Austin is Professor of Education at University of Ulster.Bill Hunter is Professor at University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

• 1. Communications Technologies and Positive Social Change 2. Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and England: Conflict and History 3. Israel: Connecting Cultures in Conflict Miri Shonfeld, Elaine Hoter and Asmaa Ganayem 4. England: Ethnic Diversity and Parallel Lives 5. Europe 1945-2012: Union, Identity, Diversity and ICT 6. Canada: A Nation Built on Diversity 7. The United States: Does the Information Highway Have an Off-Ramp for Social Cohesion? 8. The Promise of Online Contact

"This book importantly contributes data about the actual state of things, particularly in the area of new technologies that are often the subject of very impassioned and idealistic claims. Research initiatives in this area have been critiqued for not asking more "state-of-the-actual" questions (Selwyn, 2010). By reviewing educational efforts in various countries, Austin and Hunter’s book gives us deeper insight into the political and social complexity that influences how and whether ICT use in education might support efforts to increase community cohesion, and ultimately reduce damaging societal conflict." - Clare Brett, Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, Vol 41 (2)"Online Learning and Community Cohesion is a thoughtful and articulate synopsis of the challenges we face in public education today and for the foreseeable future. Although the challenges are significant, the authors make a strong case that there is huge potential for improvements in public education and universal access to education through a reasoned approach to online learning, ICT and an inclusive perspective." - Dermod Madden, Associate-Superintendent, Aspen View School Division, in Educational Technology & Society, 17 (2)