Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research
Research into learning technology has developed a reputation for being drivenby rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for payingscant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, andfor producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Association for Learning Technology
2011-12-01
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| Series: | Research in Learning Technology |
| Online Access: | http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/17108 |
| _version_ | 1818643734659596288 |
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| author | Martin Oliver Sue Bennett |
| author_facet | Martin Oliver Sue Bennett |
| author_sort | Martin Oliver |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research into learning technology has developed a reputation for being drivenby rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for payingscant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, andfor producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice of education.Although there is theoretically-informed research in learning technology, this isin the minority, and has been actively marginalised by calls for applied designwork. This limits opportunities to advance knowledge in the field. Using threeexamples, alternative ways to engage with theory are identified. The paper concludesby calling for greater engagement with theory, and the development of ascholarship of learning technology, in order to enrich practice within the fieldand demonstrate its relevance to other fields of work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T00:03:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02c28c51c49a4a8697fffb31ca221f28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2156-7069 2156-7077 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T00:03:40Z |
| publishDate | 2011-12-01 |
| publisher | Association for Learning Technology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Research in Learning Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-02c28c51c49a4a8697fffb31ca221f282022-12-21T22:11:01ZengAssociation for Learning TechnologyResearch in Learning Technology2156-70692156-70772011-12-0119310.3402/rlt.v19i3.17108Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology researchMartin OliverSue BennettResearch into learning technology has developed a reputation for being drivenby rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for payingscant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, andfor producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice of education.Although there is theoretically-informed research in learning technology, this isin the minority, and has been actively marginalised by calls for applied designwork. This limits opportunities to advance knowledge in the field. Using threeexamples, alternative ways to engage with theory are identified. The paper concludesby calling for greater engagement with theory, and the development of ascholarship of learning technology, in order to enrich practice within the fieldand demonstrate its relevance to other fields of work.http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/17108 |
| spellingShingle | Martin Oliver Sue Bennett Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research Research in Learning Technology |
| title | Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| title_full | Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| title_fullStr | Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| title_short | Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| title_sort | talking back to theory the missed opportunities in learning technology research |
| url | http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/17108 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martinoliver talkingbacktotheorythemissedopportunitiesinlearningtechnologyresearch AT suebennett talkingbacktotheorythemissedopportunitiesinlearningtechnologyresearch |