Extending Understandings of Educational Technology: Teachers’ Critiques of Educational Technology as Important Intellectual Capital for Researchers

Abstract

While research in the field of educational technology provides teachers with intellectual resources on how best to use technology, teacher uptake appears to be at best minimal. These intellectual resources, arising from research, are often presented to teachers as pedagogical imperatives and include, for example, e-learning, and connected teaching. Taking up these recom- mended resources requires significant commitment by teachers to transform their practices. Even more problematic in the research in educational technology is the repetitive cycle of blaming teachers for not taking up these resources. The bulk of research in this field focuses on evaluating whether teachers are using the intellectual resources provided for them. A common finding is that teachers are not. Suggestions from research tend to focus on how we can change teachers so that they do take up these resources. For example, there are often recommendations for professional learning that will influ- ence teachers to change. This current approach to research has resulted in an unproductive and unhelpful cycle of provision and blame