In this article, the author examines the seemingly
privileged position of technology in current educational
thought. The article begins by considering
Lewis Mumford?s notion of the myth of the machine
and his insistence that only when tool making/using is
modified by linguistic symbols, esthetic design, and
socially transmitted knowledge does it become a significant
contributor to human development. Through a
sociohistorical critique, the author establishes a relationship
between the ubiquity of the mythos and current
educational discourse. The author provides examples
from various historical events that have
contributed to (a) the tradition of print-based culture,
(b) the origins of the mythos of technology, (c) the increasingly
popular notion that technology offers a
panacea for educational woes, (d) the marginalization
of critical discourse in regard to educational technology,
and (e) corporate involvement in maintenance of
the mythos. |