Discuss Domain/Unit Issues Here

Effective educational technology generally develops in response to perceived educational needs. Needs can either be tightly linked to a specific domain of study or they can be generic. An example of domain-driven electronic application would be one that supported the development of the specialized set of skills and body of knowledge that students studying to be mechanical engineers need to successfully participate in the world of mechanical engineering. This might include, as a beginning, an understanding of statics, thermodynamics, and design. An example of a generic system would be one that supports the acquisition of composing skills required of anyone who plans to develop documents for both internal and external consumption.

Disciplines of study are comprised of content areas which students are expected to master. While computer science students are expected to master algorithms, architecture students are expected to master the varied conventions of visual representation. In educational applications, what is being delivered-- the content or skill set-- greatly affects the overall design and the component parts. Ideally, educational systems should teach and support the kinds of tasks, the ways of thinking and doing, that professionals in the targeted field engage in when doing their work. And likewise, generic systems should support the development of more "garden-variety" skills that are applicable across task types and disciplines.