Investigating the Philosophical Attitudes Regarding the Relationship Between Information Technology and Education

Abstract

Information Technology, as the latest technological product with regard to vast presence in various domains of human life – such as education – and like other aspects and events of education needs to be reflected upon through philosophy or rationality. In this essay various philosophical views on information technology and education will be reviewed with regard to their similarities and differences in theoretical foundations. These views have been divided to three and have been reviewed. Then, their weaknesses and advantages & strengths have been summed up together. After that, their implications for educational policies have been presented.
Modernism as the first attitude, looks at Information Technology as an instrument for human thought and because of its eager and ideal view toward technology has been called "Romantic” in this article. Critical attitude with this regard is in contrary with modernism and holds that value neutrality in this view brings up a lot of problems. Critical view names modernism as tragic because of its destructive and negative results.
The third attitude, post modernism, rolls up traditional lands and goes beyond steady structures and divisions like subject and object, sexuality, social layer and race and for attaining this aim uses methods like interpretation. So this attitude has been renamed "Transformational”.