Context and deep learning design Tom Boyle a, * , Andrew Ravenscroft b a Learning Technology Research Institute (LTRI), London Metropolitan University, Shoreditch Building, 35 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2 8AA, UK b Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London, UK article info Article history: Received 15 March 2012 Received in revised form 5 June 2012 Accepted 10 June 2012 Keywords: Architectures for educational technology system Interactive learning environment Pedagogical issues Teaching/learning strategies abstract Conceptual clarification is essential if we are to establish a stable and deep discipline of technology enhanced learning. The technology is alluring; this can distract from deep design in a surface rush to exploit the affordances of the new technology. We need a basis for design, and a conceptual unit of organization, that are applicable across constant technological change. These are the issues addressed in this article. The article first explores the nature of ‘deep learning design’ where the aim is to shape the possibilities of the technology to most effectively enhance learning. These design insights need to be applied to a unit of organization that is not dependent on any particular technology. They should interact with and shape technology possibilities rather than be narrowly defined by them. The key unit of organization proposed is that of context. At a theoretical level, the article explores context as a shared interpretation of situation. The implications of the nested nature of contextual interpretation on design, implementation and evaluation are explored in depth. The internal dynamics of learning contexts are then discussed initially in terms of principles, heuristics and scripts. The contribution of this article is to present a coherent argument for context as the central unit for deep learning design, and to articulate the incisive theoretical and practical consequences of this position. Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will move the whole world. Archimedes The quote attributed to Archimedes captures in a striking way the amplifying power of technology applied from a “place to stand”. In the 21st Century we have abundant levers of technology to use in “technology enhanced learning”. The key question addressed in this article is – where is the conceptual “place to stand”? The challenge is increased by the rapid and continuous changes in technology. Can we establish a stable conceptual place that enables us to use the levers of technology in a principled and effective way? As new waves of technology sweep in, can this place remain stable as a conceptual vantage point? This challenge is addressed in this article through an exploration of deep learning design. Deep learning design is about generic principles that can be applied to support learning in technologically mediated situations that are not dependent on or narrowly derived from the technology. It was originally proposed by Ravenscroft and Boyle (2010) in the context of dialogue and social media and then expanded upon to cover a range of learning situations (Ravenscroft, Boyle, Cook, & Schmidt, 2010). In this article we develop the approach to argue that deep learning design requires a central organizing unit to encapsulate the way that it imaginatively exploits the technologies at play. The technology constantly changes; it is not a stable base for specifying general principles. The key organizing unit proposed for deep learning design is that of ‘context’. This concept occurs repeatedly in the literature of technology enhanced learning; yet its definition and articulation remain elusive. There are a number of areas of research and development where context has emerged as a central, if problematic concept. These areas include: * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ44 20 7263 1062; fax: þ44 (0) 207 749 3781. E-mail addresses: tomboyle3@gmail.com (T. Boyle), a.ravenscroft@uel.ac.uk (A. Ravenscroft). Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Computers & Education journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/compedu 0360-1315/$ – see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.06.007 Computers & Education 59 (2012) 1224–1233