Data entry: towards the critical study of digital data and education

Abstract

The generation and processing of data through digital technologies is an integral element of contemporary society, as reflected in recent debates over online data privacy, ‘Big Data’ and the rise of data mining and analytics in business, science and government. This paper outlines the significance of digital data within education, arguing for increased interest in the topic from educational researchers. Building on themes from the emerging sub-field of ‘digital sociology’, the paper outlines a number of ways in which digital data in education could be questioned along social lines. These include issues of data inequalities, the role of data in managerialist modes of organisation and control, the rise of so-called ‘dataveillance' and the reductionist nature of data-based representation. The paper concludes with a set of suggestions for future research and discussion, thus outlining the beginnings of a framework for the future critical study of digital data and education.

Keywords:

• digital data
• education
• analytics
• measurement

Acknowledgements

The author thank the anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier drafts of the paper.

Funding

This paper arises from a research project funded by the Spencer Foundation (award number SG201400114).

Notes on contributor

Neil Selwyn is a professor in the Faculty of Education, Monash University. His research and teaching focuses on the place of digital media in everyday life, and the sociology of technology (non)use in educational settings. Recent books include Distrusting Educational Technology (2014, Routledge) and Digital Technology and the Contemporary University (2014, Routledge).

Notes

¹Anyone writing on this topic faces the issue of whether ‘data’ is singular or plural (data is or data are). I was taught the latter, given the original Latin use of ‘data’ as the plural of ‘datum’. However, with most quoted sources using ‘data’ as singular, this paper will adopt the same convention to maintain consistency.