Overview: A review of the four core principles of digital degrowth proposed by Neil Selwyn and a look at some existing practices within primary schools and other ways digital degrowth can be and is already being implemented. This section includes a futures thinking activity.
Section aims:
To be able to explain the four principles of digital degrowth in education
To explore what digital degrowth means inthe context of primary schools
Time: 45 mins
Resource: Padlet; Pen and Paper
Digital degrowth challenges the notion that more tech equals progress and brings to the forefront of our thinking the recognition of environmental and social impacts of technological expansion. It seeks to promote a change in how things are done at a communal level, with a conscious awareness of the resources available and how these are used. Degrowth advocates for a move towards recognising values that promote societal progress, ecological integrity and social justice (Selwyn, 2024, pp. 4).
The previous section of this OER introduced Selwyn's call to 'radically rethink EdTech'. This rethinking is driven by the need to address the unsustainable, inequitable, and manipulative aspects of current EdTech practices, particularly in light of environmental crises, social injustices, and the excessive digitization accelerated by events like the Covid-19 pandemic. To radically rethink EdTech means to question the assumption that education must be increasingly digitized to be effective, especially when such digitization majorly serves institutional or corporate interests over learners' needs.
The Four Principles of Digital Degrowth
In the context of EdTech, Selwyn (2024) explained that degrowth centres on four core components: the commons and commoning (collaborative management of shared resources), conviviality (user -controlled tools existing outside corporate and government control), autonomy (self-determined needs fulfilled through interdependence), and care and caring (mutual support and resource stewardship).
1.The Commons and Commoning
According to Selwyn (2024) this involves the management of shared resources that are open to all members of a community. Commoning works on the basis that there are mutually agreed-upon rules, boundaries, social norms for how resources are used, as opposed to this being simply free-for-all. Key skills here would include regular communication, negotiation and experimentation among community members in ways that are significantly more equal, transparent, democratic and sustainable than those driven by the logic of the market'(Liegey and Nelson, 202, p.ix cited in Selwyn, 2024, pp.5).
2. Conviviality
According to Selwyn, convivial tools refer to those tools that exist outside the control of corporate or government. This means that tools can be used in largely self-determined ways and shared with others , including the sharing of skills, expertise and experience, as well as collaborative working.
3. Autonomy
Autonomy is this case refers to people being able to satisfy their own needs rather than arbitrary needs imposed by others. Groups of people working together to share expertise, skills, experience and resources, and communities enabled to meet educational needs independently.
4. Care and Caring
Taking care of resources and working to sustain a sense of community. Technologies should prioritize human relationships, equity, and community well-being over efficiency or profit.
Digital Degrowth in Primary Education
Within primary education, the concept of degrowth engenders:
a rethinking about the use (and disuse) of existing technology
a core understanding of the environmental impact of the devices life-cycle from production to disposal
a mindset shift to continue to use non-digital practices and offline processes that already work
resisting the industry attempts to push ‘green’ forms of digital technology that promote economic growth (Selwyn, 2024, pp. 8).
Indeed, many forms of convivial technology suggested by Selwyn already feature broadly in primary education. For example: Maker spaces, Coding clubs powered by Raspberry Pi, Computing Hubs, device sharing and loaning libraries, open knowledge networks, and more.
Section 3: Activity 1 - Postcard from the future!
Read the postcard below written from a child in an imagined future where digital degrowth has been a successful endeavour.
Your task:
As the owner of the summer camp where Maya is currently spending her summer holiday, you want to spread the word about your camp. Create an advertisement to inform parents about the summer camp and the provisions you offer with a focus on sustainable facilities.
Use the Padlet Sandbox to create your 'Summer Camp Advert'. Be as creative as you want using the tools provided in the Padlet Sandbox.
Alternatively, you may design the advert using a platform or format of your choice, including simply using pen and paper🙂
Dear Grandma,
I'm sending you this REAL paper postcard from summer learning camp! Mom says you were one of the first "digital minimalists" back in the 2020s when everyone thought you were weird for not having social media. Now our whole school works that way!
Our classroom has this amazing central table called the "Commons" - it's a huge table with a special surface that turns into a screen when we need it. Ms. Miller can activate it to show us maps or videos, but most of the time it's just a table where we build things together! Today we used the clay printing tools to make mini-ecosystems. I had so much fun!
I have been keeping a diary in my 'Folio book'. I have drawn you lots of pictures of me and my friends. Don't worry, I also took some real pictures of my room, my classroom, the garden centre, the sports arena and of course, the playground. You won't believe that I still haven't charged it, the battery lasts for MONTHS since it uses solar energy and I am outside quite a lot.
Yesterday, we connected to the local mesh network during "Download Hour." Is it true that schools used to be online constantly and teachers were always fixing technology problems instead of teaching? We have only been online twice this week. Ms Miller says the big tech cleanout in the late 2020s was hard but worth it. Schools got rid of a lot of computers and apps. She said many didn't really work anyway. I can't believe that children had to do so many tests and some online ones!
As you know, I don't get my own phone until I am 15 (Yes, I'm rolling my eyes 😊) so I'll be heading to the communication station in the main office to give you a call tomorrow. Or maybe I'll send you some pictures.
Got to go - tonight's community dinner! My team is cooking with vegetables from our school garden. Ms Miller thinks I have 'green fingers'.
Miss you lots! Maya
Section 3 - Copyright and Licenses
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