Monographs on teacher.. 9808 v5 - Umeå universitet

exercise of power unnecessary. These effects are also produced by theelectronic interaction of computers. In computer-based communication,both the individual and those processes that take place between individualsbecome visible. Edenius (1996), for example, talks about how in anelectronic mail system one can get a quick glimpse at large quantities ofinformation; 13 while Jonassen et al. (1995) discuss how the electronicmedium promotes the visibility of the normally concealed processesand strategies that are used in the interaction/construction of knowledgein which the group is engaged.The practical processes that the panoptic principle rests upon is, ashas been stated before, (hierarchized) surveillance, examination andnormalization. All these processes are easily detected in a computerisedstudy/teaching situation.The surveillance function is built into the computer as a medium. Forexample, in the text-based electronic conferencing system, everythingthat is said is made visible to all and is furthermore saved for posterity.The written comments or contributions that are generated, are storedon everybody’s computer. This automatic registration makes it possibleto measure all activity. Such methods of detailed book-keeping are typicalfeatures of the panoptical scheme. Both actual communication andsilence are recorded. Everyone can read what everyone else has written;everyone can find out who has read the contributions of others, withouthaving written anything themselves; and everyone can see who has beencompletely inactive. All communicative actions or nonactions becomevisible and all the students eventually become aware of this. Activity orpassivity, it makes no difference, the panoptic principle works in eithercase. And it does not work only for the students. The teacher’s behaviouris also made visible and the interaction processes between teacher andstudent are registered and stored. In the computerised (virtual) classroomall participants are trapped in a web of looks, mutual supervision andpotential accountability.Hierarchized surveillance is attended by the normalization of theindividuals’ behavior. In the collective electronic communications systemthe students educate one another. According to Jonassen et al.(1995), the visibility of otherwise invisible processes contributes to theformation of a ”collaborative mental model”; and MacConnell (1994)89