Sociotechnical Plans for Education

Introduction

   This post reviews Affectibility in educational technologies: A socio-technical perspective for design, a Journal article from the  Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, which describes a qualitative study completed in a Brazilian public elementary school where technology is introduced to the school (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

What is a Sociotechnical plan?

   As one might guess from the words involved, a sociotechnical plan has aspects of technology and human behavior that must be addressed to solve a complex problem. For example, to get people to use more technology, it is often necessary to tackle culture and other human concerns beyond just imparting the knowledge of how to use the target technology.

What did the Researchers Do?

   The researchers provided laptop computers to students and tried integrating technology into the classrooms (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013). The researchers presented a few cases that described some activities performed: integrating technology with homework assignments, incorporating technology with interdisciplinary activities, noting the dynamics of the laptop computer inside and outside the school environment, and creating an ecosystem of student volunteers to assist others with laptop use (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

   The researchers generally described positive feedback from using technology but also encountered some cultural and technical challenges (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013). For example, the school was unprepared for all the power needs imposed by a sudden influx of new technology, with a lack of power plugs and extension cords halting progress (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013). Some other issues were fear of laptop theft, teachers unwilling to embrace technology, and lack of parental assistance due to a tech-unsavvy society (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

Discussion

   I think technology is an excellent tool for education, but I also found some problems with the study. The researchers indicated that homework generally caused negative emotional states. With the new laptop computers in place, doing assignments typically classified as homework in class would be possible, reducing the emotionally charged homework issue. I would argue that if a child goes to school for 8 hours and is then expected to do any homework, it is likely to cause negative emotions from both the child and parents. I do not think that particular problem has anything to do with technology; instead, it is common sense. Even in tech-savvy societies with technology-equipped classrooms, homework takes away from time with family. I appreciate the researcher's point about technology enabling more types of work in classrooms, but  I also believe that homework can be avoided, even in a technology-free classroom environment.

   Another issue with the study is that giving students new laptops will bias them toward using them and seeing what this new thing is all about. Humans are understandably curious about technology, but that does not necessarily mean they will learn better just because technology is in place. The study did not measure whether these students had a lasting positive impact because of the technology. I still think the quality of education mainly depends on the curriculum quality, the knowledge of human teachers, and the interactions between a group of learners and their teachers. Technology is a great tool to help with education, but it does not improve education without human involvement.

References

Hayashi, E. C., & Baranauskas, M. C. C. (2013). Affectibility in educational technologies: A socio-technical perspective for design. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 57-68.