One of the key themes throughout this book is that all uses of digital technology in education need to be approached as a matter of politics. Reframed in this light, there are a number of ways that future discussions around education technology might progress.

For example, everyone working around education and technology needs to be ready to examine (and to make explicit) the underpinning values and ideologies that are driving debates around particular digital issues. This involves reflecting on one’s own positionality, as well as pushing back against any claims for technology to be non-political and neutral. Indeed, as Ben Green (2018) reminds us, attempting to claim neutrality is a ‘fundamentally conservative’ position that signals implicit support for maintaining the status quo and, therefore, the interests of dominant social groups and hegemonic political values. 

Those of us working in the area of technology education should also not shy away from occasions when our contributions to discussions need to be overtly political – for example, offering advice to policy-makers, pushing back against corporate hype and profiteering, as well as standing up for marginalized and disadvantaged groups.

All the points of argument and contention outlined across the past eight chapters require us to take value-driven positions on issues that are inherently political. For example, pointing out and/or denying how education technology might be implicated in climate change is a political act. Similarly, pointing out and/or denying how digital technologies might be implicated in the perpetuation of institutional racism is a political act. Being mindful of this when engaging in debates around education and technology will surely lead to more nuanced and constructive outcomes.