Towards a contemporary vision of educational technology

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss some of the key issues that define the research and practice of academic Educational Technology (EdTech) today and that explain, in part, its identity crisis. The theoretical analysis presented focuses on four themes: (1) the need for a more current and nuanced conceptualization of what technology is; (2) a redefinition of the field of study of Educational Technology, based on the relationship between technology and education, expanding its scope of study beyond the traditional dichotomy between devices/tools and instructional design; (3) the reconsideration of the relations of EdTech with other academic disciplines that serve as theoretical-analytical supports; and, finally, (4) the analysis of some of the weaknesses of current research in EdTech resulting from the dominant epistemological assumptions of recent decades, from the methodologies sponsored by the publications and from the type of knowledge they promote.