Heidegger, in his article The Question Concerning Technology, refers to enframing as both a saving power and danger to humanity (Heidegger, 1955/1977). This relates to the idea of technological determinism. In his book Does Technology Drive History: The Dilemma of Technological Determinism (1994) Merritt Roe Smith describes technological determinism as “The belief in technology as a key governing force in society.” Smith goes on to identify the roots of technological determinism beginning during the industrial revolution. With the evolution of technology, technological determinism has continued to evolve and expand and, along with enframing, seems incredibly appropriate in modern society. The adoption of new technology often occurs with little consideration for its impact. This technological evolution is changing how we learn, how we socialize, and how we approach our daily lives.
With this in mind we want to pose two questions to be discussed in the Vista discussion forum:
- Has the developed world become so involved with technology that the evolution of technology has moved beyond human control?
- Are educators guilty of adopting technology just for the sake of technology itself? Should educators spend more time assessing the impact of adopting of new technologies?
Heidegger, M. (1953/1977). The question concerning technology. In M. Heidegger, The question concerning technology and other essays (trans. W. Lovitt) (Pp.3-35). New York: Harper & Row.
Smith, M.R., and Marx, L, (Eds). (1994). Does Technology Drive History? The Dilemma of Technological Determinism. Cambridge: MIT Press.