My initial thoughts into critical inquiry were based on the overarching idea that you must delve deep into the topic at hand in order to suck out all the useful information. As long as one paid serious attention to the topic, researched it thoroughly, and added meaningful discussion, you successfully engaged in critical inquiry. I believe there is truth to my initial thoughts, but perhaps clarity of understanding is needed, particularly in the context of learning technology. Selwyn (2010) proposed that critical study within the field of learning technology has been engrossed, although not completely misplaced, in explaining issues on how effective learning technologies are designed, developed and implemented. I believe these topics of study are clearly important, but suggest Selwyn’s case for critical study is not the downgrading of past studies, but rather an upbringing of more personal critical thought and application to future studies. Selwyn’s (2010) further reflections suggest that learning technology studies need to apply critical study into the social scientific, self-reflective, and self-analytical sphere of inquiry. This is where I believe I am starting to understand a different side of critical inquiry, one that is more personal and socially reflective. For example, in asking the question pertaining to my individual learning plan, “is online summative assessments appropriate for phase one terminal or tower air traffic control students?” critical inquiry from a social scientific viewpoint may look at some of the psychological aspects for a student within the air traffic control learning environment. Further critical inquiry might look into aspects of air traffic control culture and the contributions it may have on the air traffic control learning environment, good or bad. Whatever the inquiry may detail, Selwyn has given me pause to make sure I have some type of social scientific or cultural research within my paper to give greater substance into my critical inquiry.
Selwyn, N. (2010). Looking beyond learning: Notes towards the critical study of educational technology. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26(1), 65-73. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00338.x
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