Examination of a Sociotechnical Plan

The term “socio-technical” rafters to the interactions between humans, the societal or social aspect, and technology, the technical aspect. In the paper, Affectibility in Educational Technologies: A Socio-Technical Perspective for Design by Elaine C.S. Hyashi and M. Cecillia C. Baranauskas, the socio-technical aspects involve the implementation of XO laptops within a public elementary school in Brazil. The researchers sought to identify methods for integrating technology into the education of a culture where computers are not an integral part of their culture. To further understand the integration of technology in a school setting, researchers presented students with activities and gathered data through participant observation (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

The first case simply had students completing homework assignments with their laptops instead of performing research in the library. Students could use their laptops in class or take them home to perform the work. Teachers reported that students who typically acted reserved came to class excited to present their findings. The second case had students using their laptops to integrate other activities or media into their classwork, such as taking pictures of nutrition labels for science class or taking pictures of English words for English class. It was reported that students felt accomplished and satisfied with their work. The use of the laptops to find real-world examples that pertain to their classes made the students more excited and motivated to complete their assignments. Students who would typically be described as disruptive were assisting other students with the technology (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

In the third case, students were encouraged to use their laptops outside the school, such as exhibiting their XO laptops during the Independence Day parade. Students also took their laptops on a school where they explained the technology to passersby. The students demonstrated a sense of pride and responsibility since they were given the opportunity to share their knowledge with the community. The fourth case, it was noted that the information technology (IT) department at the school did not have the personnel to support the 500 new devices. The developed a program called “student Monitor” where 18 students were assigned to assist other students with the new devices. Students seemed to respond well to learning and sharing knowledge with each other, though the student volunteers expressed that it was difficult to assist handicapped students (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

There were many challenges identified during the duration of this project. Parents expressed great concern that the laptops will be stolen if the children attempted to bring them home. Internet access was also limited as the current number of routers could not handle the necessary internet traffic. Classrooms are also unequipped to handle the power needs as the current sockets are not well capable of handling so many devices (Hayashi & Baranauskas, 2013).

I agree with the overarching idea of this project as it can be difficult for people to adjust to technology if they do not have much exposure. The paper discusses the Semiotic Onion model, which operates with technical aspects being introduced through formal groups, informal groups, and then it is introduced to society. The project uses this idea will by introducing technology into the formal setting of a school, which then trickles down to informal settings through the kids using the devices in public, and then to society through the children’s parents and the public. I also think the activities introduced the children to technology through very steady means by introducing the internet, demonstrating device features, and then by having the children display their technical knowledge. This study utilizes the students’ feelings of pride and excitement to further spread awareness of the technology and encourage them to teach others about its usage. One thing I am interested in is their feelings toward technology once they’ve adapted to it and identified some limitations. The technology is still new, but will they become jaded towards the devices if they don’t work as intended, or will they maintain their excitement and appreciation?

References

Hayashi, E. C. S., & Baranauskas, M. C. (2013). Affectibility in Educational Technologies: A Socio-Technical Perspective for Design. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 57–68. https://doi.org/https://coloradotech.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/affectibility-educational-technologies-socio/docview/1287029534/se-2