What’s in the Box? Exploring Learners’ Rejection of Educational Computing

Abstract

In many countries it has been noticeable how students' use of information technology (IT) in education is often sporadic and inconsistent; at odds with the esteemed status that IT is afforded in educational rhetoric and policy. The traditional approach to the uneven takeup of IT in education has been to concentrate on the deficiency of the student in not using computers. In this way students' avoidance of IT use is often framed in terms of a psychological inability or deficiency to react with computers. However, this article attempts to look beyond this traditional 'discourse of deficiency' and explore the myriad factors influencing students' decisions not to use computers during their education. On the basis of data gathered from focus group interviews with 96 UK students, three main constructs underlying students' rejection of educational computing are identified. The article discusses how educational computing can be 're-constructed' in the light of these factors.

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