Personalisation in Educational Technology: Insights from EduTech 2024 Melbourne and Implications for Governance

• In Event: The politics of education: Insights into decolonizing curriculum, governance, and social media

Proposal

In an era where digital technologies are profoundly reshaping educational landscapes, the concept of personalisation within educational technology (EdTech) has emerged as both a beacon of promise and a source of contention. This paper seeks to unravel the multifaceted nature of EdTech-driven personalisation, drawing upon empirical insights from the EduTech 2024 exhibition in Melbourne. The Expo, which served as a global nexus for educators, technologists, and policymakers, provided a unique opportunity to observe and analyse the varied interpretations and implementations of personalisation within the educational sector.

The relevance of this study to the theme of CIES 2025, Envisioning Education in a Digital Society, is immediate and compelling. As digital technologies become increasingly embedded in educational systems worldwide, understanding how personalisation is conceptualised, implemented, and governed is crucial. This research seeks to illuminate the ways in which personalisation is framed within EdTech, examining the narratives put forward by various stakeholders and exploring the implications for educational governance. By analysing these representations, the study aims to uncover the underlying assumptions that guide the development and promotion of personalised technologies, as well as the tensions that arise between individual and collective interests.

The paper is anchored in a robust theoretical framework that interweaves sociotechnical imaginaries (Jasanoff & Kim, 2015), neuroliberalism (Whitehead et al., 2017), and risk personalisation (Spruit et al., 2021). Sociotechnical imaginaries allow us to explore how collective visions of the future—shaped by technological innovation—are negotiated among diverse actors, including both individual users and collective entities. Neuroliberalism offers a lens through which we can examine the shifting responsibilities towards individual learners, particularly in the context of personalised education. The concept of risk personalisation is employed to investigate how governance structures are evolving to place the burden of managing uncertain collective risks—exacerbated by new technologies—on individuals. This theoretical approach provides a comprehensive foundation for analysing the complex relationships between individual agency and collective governance in the digital education landscape.

Methodologically, this research employs an immersive approach, utilising the 'participant-as-observer' method (Baker, 2006) at the EduTech 2024 exhibition to capture the multifaceted nature of EdTech-related personalisation. Data collection was both extensive and nuanced, encompassing publicly available materials—such as flyers, brochures, and product demonstrations—as well as self-reported data from interviews with EdTech developers. These diverse sources of information were crucial in informing choices about data collection and analysis, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of how personalised EdTech is represented and perceived.

The findings from this research reveal a landscape marked by both opportunity and contradiction. On the one hand, personalised EdTech is praised for its potential to empower learners by offering tailored educational experiences that cater to individual needs and preferences. This vision aligns with progressive educational philosophies that prioritise learner-centred approaches, advocating for technologies that can adapt to the unique learning styles and paces of individual students. However, this ideal is often juxtaposed with a more market-driven perspective, where personalisation is framed as a tool to enhance the efficiency, scalability, and profitability of educational institutions. This duality raises critical questions about the true beneficiaries of personalisation—whether it genuinely serves the individual learner or functions primarily as a mechanism of governance at the institutional level.

A particularly striking observation from the exhibition is the rise of 'machine behaviourism' (Knox et al., 2020, p. 32) within EdTech platforms. Here, personalisation is not merely a tool for tailoring educational content but becomes a means of subtly influencing user behaviours. This trend complicates the notion of individual autonomy, as personalised learning experiences increasingly become intertwined with data-driven nudges that steer learners towards predetermined outcomes (Knox et al., 2020). The implications for governance are profound: as institutions leverage these technologies to optimise educational processes, the balance between enhancing individual autonomy and enforcing institutional control becomes increasingly precarious.

This paper makes an original contribution to the ongoing discourse on EdTech by critically examining the governance implications of personalised educational technologies. While the benefits of EdTech-related personalisation—such as increased accessibility, enhanced student engagement, and the potential for tailored learning experiences—are widely acknowledged (Delgado et al., 2015), this research draws attention to the potential risks associated with its uncritical adoption. In particular, the study questions whether personalised EdTech truly centres on the individual or whether it primarily serves the needs of educational institutions, often at the expense of individual agencies. This tension between individual and collective interests is a critical aspect of the governance of personalised EdTech, and one that requires careful consideration as education systems worldwide continue to evolve in response to digital transformation.

In conclusion, this paper offers a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the landscape and role of personalisation in educational technology. Examining the insights gathered from EduTech 2024 underscores the importance of a balanced approach to the governance of personalised EdTech, one that recognises both the opportunities and the challenges inherent in these technologies. As we envision the future of education in a digital society, this research provides valuable lessons on the need to critically assess the implications of personalisation, ensuring that it serves not only the needs of institutions but also the rights and interests of individual learners.

Authors

• Xiaonan Huang, The University of Sydney

• Kalervo Gulson, The University of Sydney

• Hongzhi Yang, The University of Sydney Sydney School of Education and Social Work