Module 3 emphasises that technology in education has the potential for both good and harm. Often institutions will adopt new technologies without due diligence to understand who and how might be harmed by the use of those technologies. Because of this, it is important when designing learning experiences or adopting education technologies that we critically examine the potential for harm embedded in those tools.

For this activity, you will choose an Education Technology Tool that you are familiar with, and applying the evaluation questions presented by Stommel and Morris.

  1. Who owns the tool? What is the name of the company, the CEO? What are their politics? What does the tool say it does? What does it actually do?
  2. What data are we required to provide in order to use the tool (login, e-mail, birthdate, etc.)? What flexibility do we have to be anonymous, or to protect our data? Where is data housed; who owns the data? What are the implications for in-class use? Will others be able to use/copy/own our work there?
  3. How does this tool act or not act as a mediator for our pedagogies? Does the tool attempt to dictate our pedagogies? How is its design pedagogical? Or exactly not pedagogical? Does the tool offer a way that “learning can most deeply and intimately begin”?

Post your evaluation in your Learning Portfolio. Make sure to also include a short self-reflection on why you chose this activity, how it aligned with your learning goals, and what you learned through the critique of the technology you selected.