Critical EdTech Studies, Platforms and Platformisation in Higher Education: An Introduction

Abstract

In this introductory chapter, we set the scene for the edited collection by calling for an analysis of the social, economic and political effects of EdTech platforms in higher education (HE) through the lens of “platformisation”, that is, an understanding of platform logics that are rapidly pervading several societal domains, including HE. We move beyond conventional approaches to digital learning and HE digitalisation, which tend to focus on the instrumental value of EdTech tools, and are often tinged with assumptions of techno-optimism and a relatively uncritical attitude towards increasing corporatisation and managerialism in HE. We situate this book project within the emerging critical literature on EdTech in HE, and we label this important and much-needed field as Critical EdTech Studies. After providing a synthetic analysis of the relevance of digital infrastructure and platform political economy approaches in HE, we offer an overview of the book chapters, which are structured around three analytical themes: autonomy and dependence; platform features and their effects on human interactions in HE; and future scenarios and alternatives to dominant commercial paths.