Ubiquitous Learning vs. the Value of Boundaries: Reflections on Five Years of ‘Innovation in Education’

Abstract

This paper offers a reflective account of the relationship between innovation and ubiquitous learning in education. The paper argues that the tendency towards removing all boundaries which lies at heart of ‘ubiquitous learning’ certainly offers visionary promises, but it might also lead to a condition characterised by the absence of all structuring elements. At the level of the individual learner, this condition might result in a sense of fragmentation and to a focus on safety and emotional well-being. At an institutional level it might legitimise a drive towards very reductive forms of accountability, in which technology is used mainly for surveillance and behaviour control. The paper proposes that the boundaries of educational technology should be acknowledged and further investigated, in order to identify practical strategies that strengthen, rather than dilute, the agency of learners in ubiquitous learning landscapes, by tracing clear distinctions and demarcations which can structure their experiences.