Seminar: Critical Ed Tech Studies and the University

The rapid evolution of educational technologies (edtech) has transformed the landscape of education, particularly through the use of digital networks, data, and AI. In response, a growing number of studies dedicated to the critical analysis, evaluation, and (re)design of educational technologies has emerged, examining the pedagogical, social, technical, political, economic and cultural dimensions of edtech. This Critical EdTech Studies (CES) has sought to uncover the underlying power dynamics, biases, and unintended consequences that often accompany the introduction of technology, as well as to contribute to the envisioning of alternative edtech futures, often oriented towards overcoming the harmful consequences of technocratic decision-making in education. In a first part, this seminar will address how this emerging field can contribute to higher education research and practice specifically.

The second part will present atmospheric analytics as one specific methodological framework that can be deployed in the field of CES. This framework explicitly challenges a view of technology as simply being a tool for augmenting human-computer interactions. Instead, it posits that technologies have atmospheric qualities, shaping experiences through a complex interplay of infrastructure and affect. Three analytical optics will be outlined: density, saturation, and viscosity. These concepts help us analyse the intensity, vitality, and resistance associated with edtech in our daily lives. By focusing on how technologies are woven into our practices, atmospheric analytics offers a nuanced perspective on the social, political, and ethical implications of edtech, opening up ongoing critical study of education technologies as they continue to unfold in higher education and beyond.

This event is co-hosted by Critical Digital Education Research Group (CDER) and Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE).