Neutrality, “New” Digital Divide, and Openness Paradox: Equity in Learning Environments Mediated by Educational Technology

Abstract

In recent years, a critical turn in the Learning Sciences has begun to consider issues of equity, power, and ideology in the design of educational interventions. While this scholarship has made important contributions to our understanding of learning in relation to these issues, less work has addressed the limitations of design approaches in the context of educational technology. Surveying emerging literature in this area, this paper outlines three key considerations for learning scientists seeking to address issues of equity when studying, designing, and implementing technology-rich environments. These issues, taking new forms across technologies and digital media, we identify as: the Neutrality Facade, the “New” Digital Divide, and the Openness Paradox. Finally, the paper offers three directions for addressing power issues in learning environments mediated by educational technology and digital media: critical design methods, critical digital pedagogy, and critical design literacies.