Critical Thinking about Critical Theory in Ed Tech

Critical theory in the field of education looks at how tech is developed, deployed, and utilized in classrooms. It aims to expose the power dynamics that are frequently buried inside technical systems and to challenge the assumptions and beliefs that support the use of technology in education. In this blog, we'll look at some of the major discussions and issues surrounding the connection between critical theory and educational technology.

Please keep in mind that the term "critical" does not refer to a theory that focuses solely on the problems. By focusing on exposing problems like power imbalances and sexism, critical theories take a "negative" stance. Nonetheless, it may be more appropriate to argue that critical theories are typically optimistic because they oppose oppression (Nichols & Allen-Brown, 2001).

Critical theory in educational technology can be used to look at data systems, data privacy, predictive analytics, bandwidth, emerging technologies, new learning models, student digital literacy, technology security, digital accessibility, policy, and the issues, importance, and effects of technology on teaching and learning. The Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) report helps teachers and government officials figure out how well educational technologies work and how to use them in a balanced way.

Issue Identified	Consequences	Solution
Data Systems - Data managers find it difficult to link or integrate state data systems. Several data components have different agency definitions; time frames Data collection education does not correlate with infrastructure, data systems (SREB, 2018).	If they do not address this issue, stakeholders risk jeopardizing the predictive analytics outcomes and jeopardizing the return on investment of the technology infrastructure that supports their data systems. Furthermore, data is less helpful if it cannot be validated as similar among agencies and assessed across agencies (SREB, 2018).	Establish connections between the educational system and other sectors, beginning with early childhood and continuing through college and the workforce, and embrace definitions of data that are standard throughout all K-20 state education data systems (SREB, 2018).
​Data Privacy - Via its student information systems, enterprise resource systems, learning management systems, library systems, and vendor-managed systems, schools and colleges acquire massive volumes of private data for educational advancement. The data in these different systems, the huge number of devices accessing them, and the continually evolving interactive technology solutions for classroom usage raise security and privacy problems (SREB, 2018).	​Financial penalties for the violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and loss of confidence from students and their parents are the consequences of schools failing to safeguard the confidentiality of student information.	Maintain the confidentiality of student information that is stored within education data systems while simultaneously allowing this information to be used to inform education policy and practice (SREB, 2018).
​Predictive Analytics - Data from numerous sources, such as e-learning platforms, student databases, ERPs, data warehouses, longitudinal databases, vendor platforms, and sensors, make up what is known as "big data." Leaders and policymakers in the field of education are often swamped with data and unsure of how to make sense of it all (SREB, 2018).	​If data isn't analyzed for trends, educators won't be able to tailor their teaching to each student's needs or intervene with at-risk learners to increase their chances of graduating high school or college. That kind of failure has far-reaching consequences, leading to foolish policies that waste money on ineffective initiatives (SREB, 2018).	​Including the use of data for decision-making and predictive modeling of student-centric outcomes is an important step toward improving education systems, processes, and policy (SREB, 2018).
​Bandwidth - The demand for internet to serve students', faculty's, and staff's increasing numbers of electronic devices increases the institution's bandwidth use. Several educational facilities lack the resources to provide adequate bandwidth for classroom use (SREB, 2018).	​Projects critical to SREB states attaining state goals and boosting student learning would stagnate without sufficient high-speed fiber optic bandwidth availability (SREB, 2018).	​Increase the availability of bandwidth that is both dependable and cheap in order to provide educators and the students they teach with the best possible opportunity to benefit from new and developing technologies (SREB, 2018).
​Emerging Technologies Together with the proliferation of smartphones and social media platforms came a surge in the use of technology in the classroom. As new technologies emerge and become more embedded in the education ecosystem, it is incumbent upon educational leaders to evaluate how well these tools can help their institutions achieve their stated goals and determine which, if any, should be adopted as part of a more thorough review of the institution's improvement strategy (SREB, 2018).	​After costing institutions money that they could not afford to lose, too many educational technology programs and tools become obsolete, while others turn out to be beyond their capabilities to deploy effectively (SREB, 2018).	​Consider the applicability and appropriateness of using developing technologies in the process of making strategic decisions, and encourage the professional development of teaching staff in these areas so that the benefits of these technologies can be maximized for students (SREB, 2018).
​New Learning Models - Educating the "average" student in a classroom is no longer effective. Modern teaching technologies like computer diagnostic examinations, formative assessments, and adaptive content can help teachers personalize learning and improve student engagement (SREB, 2018).	​For the 29 million Americans who are eligible for college but whose family, employment, and socioeconomic situations prevent them from finishing a traditional program, a college degree will continue to be out of their reach in the absence of alternative learning methods (SREB, 2018).	​Students should be able to demonstrate that they have mastered the material at their own speed, and individualized, competency-based learning settings and delivery modalities should be made available to them. This can be accomplished through increased use of technology (SREB, 2018).
​Student Digital Literacy - State agencies have only recently come to understand that it is their duty to make sure that students of all abilities understand and transmit digital information at various levels throughout their education. This indicates that it is necessary to create the foundation for digital literacy in its very early stages (SREB, 2018).	​Digital literacy is linked to career success. Our workforce's digital fluency may determine American companies' competitiveness in the knowledge-based global economy. Lack of digital illiteracy contributes to a "digital divide," according to research (SREB, 2018).	​Ensure that students have the fundamental skill sets they need from the early grades through college so that they can fully engage in technology-mediated learning opportunities to develop lifelong competencies that are necessary for success in a digital world. These competencies are essential for students to have in order to be successful in the digital world (SREB, 2018).
Technology Security - Technology security is required at every level of operation in today's institutions, from individual users to the network, institution, and even vendor partners, and this includes everything from learning management systems to access points to wireless networks to student information systems. Increasingly schools and institutions are vulnerable to external access because they use third-party vendor networks, cloud-based services, and online instructional technologies (SREB, 2018).	To safeguard students, staff, and institutions from the loss or corruption of private information due to a breach in technology security, state governments need to back robust legislation in this area, as well as offer proper training and resources. This could result in the need for identity theft protection as well as legal action (SREB, 2018).	It is imperative that adequate resources be made available in order to protect information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction, while also ensuring that these resources remain highly accessible for the purposes of education and the operation of educational institutions (SREB, 2018).
Digital Accessibility - Students with disabilities have the same access rights to this digital information and online teaching as students without disabilities. This includes students who have visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. Yet, despite being required by law, schools and institutions frequently do not provide these students with the same level of access to online learning and digital content (SREB, 2018).	Teachers often give their students with disabilities subpar accommodations because they are rushed to make last-minute changes to the curriculum after learning that a student with an impairment has enrolled in their class (SREB, 2018).	In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the requirements of any other applicable regulations, raise awareness, provide training, and implement best practices in order to make e-learning content and websites more accessible to students who have disabilities (SREB, 2018).
Policy - Unfortunately, new ways of teaching and learning are sometimes stymied by laws that are intended to be beneficial but ultimately useless (SREB, 2018).	Schools and districts become perplexed, make errors, repeat duties, or leave them unfinished when local or state policies contradict with federal regulations. Schools and institutions that lack staff and funding are burdened by these errors (SREB, 2018).	Conduct a frequent evaluation at the state level of legislation and policies relating to technology on education standards, access, and infrastructure to ensure that these policies are adequate, aligned, essential, and integrated (SREB, 2018).

In general, the paper highlights the necessity of adopting a strategy to educational technology that is both comprehensive and coordinated, and that tackles these 10 critical challenges. It invites policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders to collaborate on the development and implementation of initiatives that promote fair, sustainable, and ethical use of technology in educational settings.

Imagine my surprise when I read that financial aid is an example of a well-meaning but unneeded policy that can, and frequently impediments on creative learning approaches and developing technology tools.

“For example, competency-based education, and personalized, adaptive, and self-paced learning models in general, are often inhibited by policies that award credit based on time spent in a course (referred to as “seat-time”) rather than mastery of course content. They are also thwarted by financial aid models that count the number of academic terms by the calendar (and pay accordingly) rather than by the completion of modules.”

This makes me wonder why financial assistance programs are based on academic years, completion rates, 2.0 GPAs, and loan restrictions rather than module completion. Consider a student taking a self-paced course who does not receive financial help until the course is satisfactorily completed. We would have fewer students in default and less student loan debt. Suddenly I realize that the government's policies are this way because the government's goal is to collect interest on borrowed money.

Resources

SREB. (2018, February). 10 issues in Educational Technology. Southern Regional Education

Board. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.sreb.org/10issues