Social Learning in Multimedia
European Commission: Targeted Socio-Economic Research (TSER) Programme (4141
PL 951003)
May 1996 - October 1998
The Social Learning in Multimedia (SLIM) project is funded by the European
Commission. Edinburgh University leads a consortium of 8 European Research
Centres that is investigating the process of innovation in multimedia
-a dynamic and complex cluster of products and services expected to
arise with the emerging Information Superhighways and the convergence
of information, communication and broadcasting technologies. However there
is little understanding of which products will prove successful.
The study highlights the role of social learning - widely dispersed
interactions between producers, intermediate and final users and policy-makers
in which the functional requirements and meanings of current and future
technologies are articulated. These are critical to the future evolution
and success of multimedia. This is reflected in a proliferation of the role
of 'social experiments' and commercial trials as fora for such social learning.
The project focuses in particular upon the strategies of suppliers to articulate
models of the user and uses of multimedia, and the responses of users as
they learn to use supplier offerings and incorporate them into their daily
lives. These will be addressed through detailed studies of multimedia pilots
and social experiments.
Cross-national and cross-sectoral comparison will explore how these social
learning and social shaping processes vary between:
- different national/regional settings
- different areas of activity (education, culture, public and private
services)
- 'the home' and 'the workplace'.
The study further explores how the social, economic, policy and cultural
context shape the ways in which opportunities for multimedia are perceived
and pursued by suppliers and users of multimedia products and services.
It will examine the implications for public policy at regional national
and European level, - in particular how multimedia development might best
be focused on meeting existing and emerging social need, through social
experiments, commercial trials and other means.
The SLIM Research Consortium
- The University of Edinburgh (UK);
Faculte Universitaire Namur de la Paix (BE);
Technical University of Denmark (DK);
University of Bremen (D);
Dublin City University (IRL);
- Roskilde University (DK)
Universiteit Maastricht (NL);
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO);
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (CH).
More
Public Outputs
As the SLIM project progesses research reports and papers will be made
public on this site and on paper. Please contact the Authors for permission
to quote.
Phase 1 Papers:
Social Shaping of Multimedia,and Social Learning in Multimedia
Phase two papers: Multimedia
in National Contexts
For more information on SLIM please contact
Robin Williams
RCSS
Old Surgeons' Hall
High School Yards
Edinburgh
EH1 1LZ
R.Williams@ed.ac.uk
tel: +44 131 650 6386
fax: +44 131 650 6399
Local Contacts can be found through the local
pages of the SLIM members
