EDF5647 · Technology and education: Key issues and debates

Overview

This unit offers a critical appraisal of the potential and realities of digital technology use in educational settings. You are introduced to key theories and debates from academic disciplines such as education, sociology, psychology, media studies and social policy. Through these, you will come to see a complex array of forces shaping everyday use through to education practice, policy and design. The unit raises key issues such as identity, cybersafety, globalisation, equity, and emerging forms of social practice. You will critically explore the discourse surrounding educational technology from mobiles to eLearning. The unit challenges thinking about how the educational technology of the near future may be more efficiently and equitably shaped. It is designed for all regardless of your level of familiarity with computers.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. recognise the current and emerging trends in digital technologies being used in education, and the social, political, economic, cultural and historical issues surrounding their adoption
2. grasp some of the theories, models and frameworks for understanding digital technology in education and society
3. develop evaluation skills to critically assess the value of technology use in educational settings
4. synthesise theory and practice in order to improve understanding of the roles digital technologies play in educational settings.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study OR • 36 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^ ^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode. Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.