Show Notes
Recent reports of facial recognition technology being developed for use in US classrooms has attracted widespread criticism. We talk to Charles Logan (Northwestern University) about the problems that facial recognition poses for students and educators. >>> Accompanying reference: Inside Higher Education (2024). Facial Recognition Heads to Class. Will Students Benefit? Feb 27th.
More from Education Technology Society
The past few years have seen growing pushback against the presence of digital technology in schools. Sara Mörtsell (Lund University) talks about her research around the vulnerabilities and fragilities of digital technology use in Swedish schools. Recommended reading >>> Kaun, A., Arnelid, M., Falk, P., Enlund, D., Johnson, E., Mörtsell, S., Sundin, O. & Stiernstedt, F. (2026). Digital vulnerabilities, Media, Culture & Society, 01634437261446790
Estonia’s ‘AI Leap’ initiative is being praised as a world-leading attempt to integrate AI into schools. Emanuele Bardone (University of Tartu) talks about how the Estonian government has been able to take this approach … and why their efforts might not be easy to replicate in other countries. Recommended reading >>> Bardone, E. & Forsler, I. (2026). The Estonian AI leap: navigating uncertainty through the production of education futures, Learning, Media and Tec...
Audrey Watters is a legendary critical voice in the world of education and technology. We rewind back to 2020 when Audrey caught up with Neil Selwyn to discuss the release of her (now much-praised) book with MIT Press – ‘Teaching Machines: The History of Personalised Learning’. Recommended reading >>> Audrey Watters (2021). Teaching Machines: The History of Personalised Learning. MIT Press
Learning analytics dashboards and metrics are an increasing presence in higher education. We talk to Hannes Hautz (University of Innsbruck) about his research on students’ mixed reactions to learning analytics, and how we can ensure more equitable and reflective use of student data. Recommended reading >>> Hautz, H. & Lipp, S. (2026). Algorithmic governmentality and student subjectivities: a critical examination of learning analytics in higher education. Learning...
Schools now make extensive use of social media for communication and self-promotion. We talk to Tiffani Apps (University of Wollongong) about the data justice implications of school social media feeds, and how rights-based approaches can help schools engage with platforms in less harmful ways. Recommended reading >>> Apps, T., Beckman, K., Pawlicka, N. & Kidson, P. (2025). The nature of connection: parents’ experiences with school social media. Learning, Media...