(Counter) narratives of digitalizaton of education

Authors

• Pekka Mertala

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.76593

Keywords:

Digitalization, Narrativity, School, Technology

Abstract

The aim of this article is to strengthen criticality in scientific and public debate around digitalization of education in Finland as the current zeitgeist has been accused of compliance with a technology optimistic paradigm. In this article, technology optimism is conceptualized as a master narrative and concretized through four stories: 1) the story of technological equality, 2) the story of the stagnated school, 3) the story of technological disruption, and 4) the story of participatory technologies. A contesting counter-narrative is provided for each story to problematize the hegemonic discourse. The main context of this article is basic education, it being the only comprehensive stage of institutional education. However, other contexts ranging from early childhood education to higher education are also considered to highlight the permeability of the phenomenon.