Qwerty

Qwerty is the commonly accepted name for the computer keyboard, comprising the first six letters of its top row. When typewriters were first introduced, the keys were arranged in alphabetical order. However this order meant that people typed too quickly such that the keys soon became entangled. To counter this, the keys were displayed in random order and typing speeds accordingly slowed down. In later years, despite the fact that the problem of speed had been completely overcome, the keyboard retained its random order. In our view, this represents an excellent metaphor for the entanglement of culture and technological tools.

In actual fact, we regard computer-based technologies as cultural artefacts, representing different depths in the daily work and study activity of individuals, social groups, and institutions. We believe that different models of computer use and activity within online environments mediate social interaction. As such, the relationship between culture and technological tools is becoming more and more complex and now provides an opportunity for determining new models of cognitive, psychological, and social interaction. Qwerty hopes to be a place where such issues can be discussed and developed.

The journal arises from a growing awareness of the need to develop research and reflection on the impact, effects and nature of technology use and, as such, is intended to be a genuinely cross-disciplinary forum.

Qwerty wishes to provide a forum for discussion on the use of new technologies aimed at anyone interested in the use of technology in such fields as education, training, social and university research, including the cultural, social, pedagogical, psychological, economic, professional, ethical and aesthetical aspects of technology use.

The journal is a publication of the CKBG, an organisation that boasts of a wide reputation within Italy, in addition to a variety of co-operative alliances at international level.

The journal is published bi-annually by Progedit in Italian, French and English, and provides set guidelines for authors.

Editor
Maria Beatrice Ligorio (University of Bari)

Associate editors

• Carl Bereiter (University of Toronto)
• Bruno Bonu (University of Montpellier 3)
• Stefano Cacciamani (University of Valle d’Aosta)
• Donatella Cesareni (University “Sapienza” of Rome)
• Michael Cole (University of San Diego)
• Roger Salijo (University of Gothenburg)
• Marlene Scardamalia (University of Toronto)
• Bianca Maria Varisco (University of Padova)

Scientific Committee

• Ottavia Albanese (University “Bicocca” of Milano)
• Alessandro Antonietti (University “Cattolica” of Milano)
• Pietro Boscolo (University of Padova)
• Lorenzo Cantoni (University of Lugano)
• Felice Carugati (University of Bologna)
• Cristiano Castelfranchi (ISTC-CNR)
• Carol Chan (University of Hong Kong)
• Roberto Cordeschi (University Sapienza” of Roma)
• Cesare Cornoldi (University of Padova)
• Ola Erstad (University of Oslo)
• Paolo Ferri (Università “Bicocca” of Milano)
• Carlo Galimberti (University “Cattolica” of Milano)
• Begona Gros (University of Barcellona)
• Kai Hakkarainen (University of Helsinki)
• Jim Hewitt (University of Toronto)
• Antonio Iannaccone (University of Salerno)
• Richard Joiner (University of Bath)
• Mary Lamon (University of Toronto)
• Leila Lax (Università di Toronto)
• Marcia Linn (University of Berkeley)
• Giuseppe Mantovani (University of Padova)
• Giuseppe Mininni (University of Bari)
• Donatella Persico (ITD-CNR, Genoa)
• Clotilde Pontecorvo (University “Sapienza” of Roma)
• Vittorio Scarano (University of Salerno)
• Neil Schwartz (California State University)
• Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen (University of Joensuu)
• Patrizia Selleri (University of Bologna)
• Robert-Jan Simons (IVLOS, NL)
• Andrea Smorti (University of Firenze)
• Jan Van Aalst (University of Hong Kong)
• Allan Yuen (University of Hong Kong)
• Cristina Zucchermaglio (University “Sapienza” of Roma)

Editorial board

• Paola Francesca Spadaro
• Luca Tateo
• Wilma Clark
• Nobuko Fujita
• Lorella Giannandrea
• Valentina Grion
• Mariella Luciani
• Ilaria Mancini
• Francesca Martini
• Clair-Antoine Veyrier