Educational technology: what it is and how it works

This theoretical paper elucidates the nature of educational technology and, in process, sheds light on a number phenomena systems, from no-significant-difference phenomenon to singular lack replication studies technologies. Its central thesis is that we are not just users technologies but coparticipants them. Our participant roles may range pressing power switches designing digital learning systems performing calculations our heads. Some demand participation only enact fixed, predesigned orchestrations correctly. Other leave gaps can or must fill with novel orchestrations, which perform more less well. Most mix two, and varies according context, participant, use. participative orchestration highly distributed: include learner, teacher, many others, textbook authors LMS programmers, as well tools methods they use create. From this perspective, all learners teachers technologists. The education seen be deeply, fundamentally, irreducibly human, complex, situated social their constitution, form, purpose, ungeneralizable effects choice paintbrush production great art.