An ontological turn: being and becoming with digital technologies in education

Abstract

In this conceptual paper, we explore how an ontological turn in the field of educational technology might contribute with an expansive perspective on digital technology. We base our argument on three perspectives on technology in education as we find them across existing research and frameworks: 1) Digital skills/competences perspective, 2) Pedagogical perspective, 3) Societal/humanistic perspective. In addition, we argue for an existing epistemological undercurrent running through research and frameworks. Through examples of a pressing influx of digital dilemmas, created particularly by generative artificial intelligence (AI), we continue to argue that AI’s inescapable presence leaves us with a series of dilemmas that are either ontological in nature or carry ontological implications. Our ontological perspective differs from ontology or ontological engineering as understood in computer science as we build our understanding of ontology on psychology and anthropology. Our use of AI is driven by desires for efficiency, dialog and learning without us really knowing how AI produces its output. The fact that AI can “think” for us, mimic us and even replicate us, highlights an ontological question: what does it really mean to be human in a world where we do not have full control over the technology we created? This gives rise to our argument that teacher education must expand the perspective on technology by making an ontological turn in how technology is addressed.