The why, what and how of deep learning: critical analysis and additional concerns

Abstract

The concept of deep learning has become a popular and well recognised term in contemporary educational literature and international political documents. Deep learning typically induces positive connotations and represents the learning strategy that educational institutions should adopt in order to assure a sustainable future in modern societies. However, a major challenge with deep learning is the fact that the concept is used in many different scientific fields with a variety of definitions, understandings and applications. Thus, there is an imbalance between the quantity of governing documents in education that endorse the use of deep learning as a main learning strategy and the amount of academic theory and research examining its definitional clarity and related unresolved questions. The aim of the present theoretical analysis is threefold. First, we examine the concept of deep learning in light of the three fundamental questions “why”, “what”, and “how” and make assessments concerning its status in contemporary literature. Second, we discuss the compatibility between the idea of deep learning and the concepts of educational inclusion and adapted instruction. Finally, we make several recommendations for future development and application of the term deep learning in educational contexts.