In this engaging volume, Jon Dron views education, learning, and teaching through a technological lens that focuses on the parts we play in technologies, from language and pedagogies to computers and regulations. He proposes a new theory of education whereby individuals are not just users but co-participants in technologies—technologies that are intrinsic parts of our cognition, of which we form intrinsic parts, through which we are entangled with one another and the world around us. Dron reframes popular families of educational theory (objectivist, subjectivist, and complexivist) and explains a variety of educational phenomena, including the failure of learning style theories, the nature of literacies, systemic weaknesses in learning management systems, the prevalence of cheating in educational institutions, and the fundamental differences between online and in-person learning. Ultimately, How Education Works articulates how practitioners in education can usefully understand technology, education, and their relationship to improve teaching practice.

This thought-provoking book goes deep into the technical aspects of education, exploring the critical intersections between teaching, technology, and effective techniques. How Education Works challenged my assumptions and opened my eyes to new educational possibilities. It is a must-read for educators, students, and anybody interested in the future of learning.

Mahmoud Hawamdeh, Al-Quds Open University

About the Author

Jon Dron is the Associate Dean, Learning and Assessment in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Athabasca University. He has received both national and local awards for his teaching and is author/co-author of over 150 academic publications in the fields of education and technology. His eclectic academic background includes post-secondary qualifications in philosophy, information systems, higher education, and learning
technologies

Table of Contents

  1. Acknowledgements
  2. Prologue
  3. Introduction:
  4. Preamble:  Elephant Spotting
    1. 1. A Handful of Anecdotes about Elephants
    2. 2. A Handful of Observations about Elephants
  5. Part I:  All about Technology
    1. 3. Organizing Stuff to Do Stuff
    2. 4. How Technologies Work
    3. 5. Participation and Technique
  6. Part II:  Education as a Technological Phenomenon
    1. 6. A Co-Participation Model of Teaching
    2. 7. Theories of Teaching
    3. 8. Technique, Expertise, and Literacy
  7. Part III:  Applying the Co-­Participation Model
    1. 9. Revealing Elephants
    2. 10. How Education Works
  8. Epilogue
  9. References