As I embark on the study of education and theories of learning, I come across references in the literature about mental models and perceptions of the world. it seems appropriate, from the outset, to begin to explore this very basic level of knowledge, and to investigate just what it is we mean by "reality", and how people of various ages, socioeconomic strata, and cultures perceive the world. This is not intended as an intensive research project; merely a brief survey of some ideas, for grounding purposes. It always pays to question the things we take for granted.

This is primarily an epistemological investigation: how do we know what we know? Creators of educational materials tend to hold some theory of reality that falls somewhere on the spectrum between objectivism and constructivism. Knowledge is either what we gather about a world that exists outside of us, or it is merely what we perceive it to be, at the two extremes. Objectivism still reigns in the physical sciences, while relativism has come to dominate the social sciences. Perhaps the most extreme version of the latter was expressed by Dr. Timothy Leary: "Reality is an opinion."

There is another dimension to consider. Not only is our model of reality either external or internal, but it is also culturally and socially constructed. It may be that we construct our own reality, but this construction is influenced, consciously and not, by the culture we were raised in and live in. And our current reality is fluid, changing according to our social surroundings; our perceptions change when we're alone or in in different social groups.

These questions take on an added significance when new technologies are considered. What is "virtual reality"or "artificial reality"? How "real" is a world constructed and generated by computers? Increasingly, the "real" reality is similary constructed. The line between the real and virtual is increasingly blurry. In the cities, most of the reality we experience is human-created already -- how real is that?

How to apply all this to education research? Firstly, as a tool to check the assumptions underlying educational theories and projects. Secondly, to bring to bear when designing projects. And finally, as grounds for further research.