Reinventing education with technology

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the influence of information technology-based educational technology, commonly referred to as EdTech, on the policies and practices of Korean education. Information technology has been drawn as a savior to innovate the structural limitations inherent in traditional education and has been pointed out as a cause of social and economic muddles in the existing education system. This dissertation analyzes the impact of EdTech on the relationship and practice of education from the perspective of Science and Technology Studies (STS), arguing that the changes in Korean education since the 2010s are not a turn that is a great disconnection but rather a delicate and gradual reinvention in relationships and practices. By highlighting the history of Korean education implementing educational policy as a branch of informatization, EdTech acquires a narrative of continuous changes as a member instead of an invader. In that context, three different educational settings—startup, public school, and smart city— are analyzed. Each setting redefines the space, identity, and expertise of actors in different ways. This dissertation proposes implications for how Korean education policy recognizes educational problems and the national governance accordingly.