Knowledge, the disciplines, and learning in the Digital Age

ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) are now widely used in schools: However, despite predictions, they have not revolutionized teaching and learning. Why is this? Does it matter? Should we care? This paper outline seeks to answer such questions and why we should care. School ICTs are informed by a range of different, and often conflicting ideas, with the result that student work is often “digital busywork”. The article argues that if ICTS are to play a useful role in helping us to re-develop our schools for the Knowledge Age, we need to re-examine some of our old ideas about knowledge. In particular, we need to re-examine the place and purpose of the traditional disciplinary knowledge that is the basis of the current curriculum.