Learning and the New Curatorship

Abstract

In this chapter, I want to try to map some of this thinking about the new curatorship onto educational practices. Partly this arises from a belief that research and writing should have some impact on the world and on lived culture. As Selwyn has pointed out recently, some research in the field of media, technology and education has tended toward an inherent sloppiness and even technological determinism, pulled that way by, in some cases, large corporate, vested interest. He has identified ten principles for research in the field:

I would like to make the case for encouraging research and writing that fulfils the following conditions—i.e. research and writing that …

• 1. has nothing to sell

• 2. … is certain only of the uncertainty of it all

• 3. … is close (but not too close) to the digital technologies that are being researched

• 4. … always asks “what is new here?”

• 5. … maintains a sense of history

• 6. … is aware of the global, national and local contexts of education and technology

• 7. … engages with the politics of education and technology

• 8. … makes good use of theory when and where it is helpful

• 9. … is open-minded and curious when it comes to methodology—is rigorous and appropriate when it comes to methods

• 10. … always considers how education, technology and society can be made fairer. (Selwyn 2012)