Technological Augmentation of Human Cognition : An Interdisciplinary Review.

A series of five interdisciplinary conferences held over a two-year period explored new teaching and training concepts and methodologies which offer powerful, symbiotic means of augmenting human cognition. The basic discussion points of the conferences are summarized. It was felt that the conferences were significant in that they brought together participants with diverse backgrounds and focused on a substantive concept--Technological Augmentation of Cognition (TAC). A TAC system was defined as a system capable: of extending and complementing the human mind's natural learning skills; of making each student more aware of his own learning skills; and of making each student more aware of his own learning processes than is presently possible and so motivating him to improve these processes. Twelve major TAC problems were identified, and design requirements for a TAC system were established which emphasized the need for planning and cooperation among the many TAC projects now extant. Conferees warned against the "trivial use" of computers, that is, use which does not exploit the computer's full capabilities. Two action programs were completed which consisted of a popular monograph and a proposal for a TAC museum exhibition. A list of conference participants is appended. (JY)

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