** My Intellectual Flakes **

Salomon, G. (1979). Interaction of media, cognition and learning. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.

This book by Salomon is the dirtiest book I have ever read. Not dirty in that sense, but in the literal sense. I was really reluctant to bring it back at the library the other day. I am glad I did since it turned out to be quite a nice book. It sheds some lights on the distinction of technology and media. Salomon pointed out each media had four types of attributes: content, symbol systems, technologies and social settings.

A medium is closely related to a particular technology, but the medium is not to be equated with that technology, …. A medium of communication entails all four classes of components, but not all of them are equally critical in defining a medium (p. 19)

In this sense, medium is broader concept with technology as one the its attribute.

The book centers on the use of media for educational purposes. Will post more as I read more….

Kozma (1991) also defines media as  “its technology, symbol systems, and processing capabilities”. Technology might influence learning process by enabling or constraining symbol systems and processing capabilities. But of course, technology is not the only factor.

Whether or not a medium’s capabilities make a difference in learning depends on how they correspond to the particular learning situation – the tasks and learners involved – and the way the medium’s capabilities are used by the instructional design.