2012
Dr Bernard Scott is former Head of the Flexible Learning Support Centre, UK Defence Academy and former Reader in Cybernetics, Cranfield University, UK. He retired from these positions in August, 2009, and September, 2010, respectively. He now works as an independent researcher and academic.
Dr Scott graduated from Brunel University, UK, in 1968 with a first class honours degree in Psychology. He completed a Ph.D. in Cybernetics from the same university in 1976. His supervisor was Gordon Pask, with whom Dr Scott worked between 1967 and 1978. Together, they developed “conversation theory” and associated cybernetic models of learning and teaching, built interactive learning environments and carried out extensive empirical studies of how humans learn. Between 1979 and 1989, Dr Scott qualified as a teacher and trained and worked as an educational psychologist. He gained a M.Sc. in Child Development with Clinical Studies from the University of London’s Institute of Education in 1983. From 1990, Dr Scott worked in a number of universities as an educational technologist, applying conversation theory to the use of multimedia and interactive systems in online learning. Dr Scott is a Fellow and founder member of the U.K.'s Cybernetics Society. Since 2000 has served as a council member. He is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the American Society for Cybernetics.
Dr Scott has been a Board member of "Research
Committee on Sociocybernetics (RC51)" of the International
Sociological Association (ISA) since 1996, serving as President 2006-2010. Dr Scott is an Academician of the International Academy of Systems and Cybernetics Sciences. Dr Scott has served as editor of the Journal of Sociocybernetics (2002-2006) and of the journal Interactive Learning Environments (2004-2008). He is a member of the editorial advisory boards of the journals Kybernetes, Cybernetics and Human Knowing, Campus-Wide Information Systems and Constructivist Foundations. Dr Scott has more than 120 academic publications to his credit.
Scott, B. and Shurville, S. (2011). “What is a symbol”. Kybernetes, 40, 1/2, pp. 12-22.
Buchinger, E. and Scott, B. (2010). “Comparing conceptions of learning: Pask and Luhmann.” Constructivist Foundations, 5, 3, pp. 109-120.
Scott, B. and Cong, C. (2010). “Evaluating course design principles for multimedia learning materials”. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 27, 5, pp. 280-292.
Scott, B. (2009). “The role of sociocybernetics in understanding world futures”. Kybernetes, 38, 6, pp. 867-882.
Scott, B. (2009). “Conversation, individuals and collectives: some key concepts in Gordon Pask’s interaction of actors and conversation theories”, Constructivist Foundations, 4, 3, pp.151-158.
Scott, B., Shurville, S., MacLean, P., and Cong, C. (2007). “Cybernetic principles for learning design”. Kybernetes, 36(9/10), pp. 1497-1514.
Scott, B. (2007). “The cybernetics of Gordon Pask”, in Gordon Pask, Philosopher Mechanic: An Introduction to the Cybernetician’s Cybernetician, R. Glanville and K.H. Müller (eds.). edition echoraum, WISDOM, Vienna, pp. 29-52.
Scott, B. (2007). “Facilitating organisational change: some sociocybernetic principles”, J. of Organisational Transformation and Organisational Change, 4, 1, pp. 3-14.