Separated by a common technology? Factors affecting ICT-related activity in home and school

There has been a steady growth in the number of computers in both home and school over the last decade and it is now clear that there is the potential for activities in those settings to be linked through a common technology. This paper explores the relationship between computer-based activities in home and school by considering each of those settings as a distinct, but related, community of practice. The exploration of the relationship is based on Benzie's (2000) research that highlights the significance of power, motivation and legitimacy as forces which affect, in Lave and Wenger's (1991) terms, peripheral participation in a community of practice. The paper suggests that this perspective can be used to help shape worthwhile Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-related activities that link home and school.