Education Technology Society

Despite being thoroughly debunked by academics, anxieties around the harmful effects of ‘screen time’ continue to be an inescapable part of debates around children and digital technology. 
We talk to Dr. Kate Mannell (Deakin University) about her new book ‘Screen time and the impossibility of modern parenting’. 
Recommended reading >>> Mannell, K. (2026).  Screen time and the impossibility of modern parenting. Routledge

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 Technology, DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2026.2720813

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, Media and Technology, 1-17.