Instructivist ideology: education technology embracing the past?

Abstract

It is argued that against the background of a neo-managerial and market-driven global education system, the production and use of technology to support teaching and learning perpetuates hegemonic behaviorist values. Activity theory, as a lens, is used to explore the power relations that are integral to the development and use of Reusable Learning Objects, Learning Management Systems, blended learning and computer video games. The analyses show that education technologies are often designed to support masculine hegemonic behaviorist instruction practices. As an extension, education technology is used in the classroom as the object of instruction to support fundamentalist values rather than a tool to mediate knowledge construction. However, collaborative solving puzzles that are part of complex computer video games, or interactive learning environments, can be used as a means to mediate contemporary learning practices. Apart from managerial rules, management authority and expert authority, power associated with individuals can disrupt activity systems in order to support their own individual epistemological positions.

Keywords:

• education technology
• ideology
• activity system
• power relations

Acknowledgment

The author thanks Elizabeth Henning, Barbara Fisher and Duan van der Westhuizen for their critical reading of the manuscript.