A Learning Zone of One's Own: Sharing Representations and Flow in Collaborative Learning Environments

The book consists of three parts. The first part, entitled "Play and Grounding" looks at play as a context likely to reveal the essence of grounding. Grounding is the embodiment of understanding things/actions in relation to and/or integrated with their environments. The second part, entitled "Optimal Experience and Emotion" shows the close association between grounding and emotion. The third part, entitled "Pedagogy and Technology" elaborates on new technologies (the computer and Internet) and on concepts and pedagogical methodologies supported by such technologies. The contributions in this volume demonstrate the great potential for the further development. First, we are now more confident that emotion is indispensable for human learning, and that learning requires grounding. Emotion accompanies play activities and play activities accompany emotion. This relation provides a rich context for grounding. The notion of optimal experience, or flow, seems an important factor for grounding, and it is suggested that optimal experience occur when the emotion and neuro systems come into harmony. Moreover, the reports and proposals made here on pedagogy and tools assure us of the feasibility of learning environments that are safe, effective, and innovative. Technologies, if appropriately applied, should greatly benefit learning in both the classroom and at home.