Metaphors of Ed Tech is out!
My 6th book (yes, we’re keeping count like Tarantino movies) is out now, published by Athabasca University Press. It’s openly licensed, with digital copy free to read (the print version should be available next month). It looks at a range of metaphors relating to educational technology, divided into the following sections:
- General thoughts about Ed Tech
- The field of Ed Tech itself as an (un)discipline
- Looking at specific technologies
- Criticism of ed tech approaches
- Looking at elements of open practice
- Specifically focusing on the Online Pivot and the relationship with ed tech
- Metaphors relating to pedagogy
I like to think there’s something in there for everyone, even if you don’t like or agree with all the metaphors. I had three main intentions in writing the book (apart from the ego kick of writing a book):
- Understanding – educational technology is still a relatively new field, and one that changes a lot. Like with any new area, metaphors provide a powerful means to develop understanding.
- Defence – how metaphors are used (by ed tech companies, academics, management, politicians, the media) shapes how that technology is deployed. It is important to be aware of, and critical towards, any metaphor that is used to describe technology and its usage.
- Fun – Metaphor allows us to reason in a creative manner about technology, in a field that is often a bit, well, dry.
I think it’s a useful book, but hey, don’t take my word for it, look what Mark Brown said:
Weller provides an insightful analysis of competing and co-existing ‘ed tech’ metaphors and our complex relationship with them in a widely accessible manner anchored in both practice and critical scholarship. This refreshing and thought-provoking volume will be particularly valuable as we look towards the post-pandemic future.”
Or how about this fab quote from Maha Bali:
I love metaphors, and this book does something that very few ever do: it simultaneously invites creativity by inviting the reader to imagine, and criticality, by using metaphors to expose hidden aspects of educational technology not tackled by dominant discourse. It gives the reader the opportunity to step back and look at things differently, and in so doing, can potentially transform the conversations we are having
And lovely Dave White describes it as fun and robust:
A fun and robust read. Using the entertaining lens of metaphors Weller has deftly unpicked much of the dangerous ‘tech will save us’ thinking which surrounds digital education. This book will be fuel for papers, talks, and strategies across the education sector for years to come
So, I hope you give it a read, and find something in there.
One Comment
Pingback: