This session started with a view that technology is now completely embedded in our lives and drives what we do daily and often this is outside our control. This has also changed our academic identities and we are no longer just lecturers but also administrators, counsellors, plagiarism police, technicians and actors.

The investment in technology is now substantial but has also led to academics having to do things they may not have signed up to do. Some feel disempowered. Staff who don’t use technology can gain poor evaluations although their teaching may be good but student expectations are that technology is used.

Technology is not new in education but human interaction is essential in learning and teaching.

Kathryn had undertaken an Ed D project which focused on humanities and technology. The language which supports technology has now become embedded but has it? Kathryn interviewed 25 colleagues and asked what learning technologies do humanities academics use and why?

 Some initial findings are:

• There is a limited range
• Mostly it is used to provide materials and for revision
• Treated with caution because it is too flexible, too easy for students to find information and they lack understanding of that information
• Can fragment content and hid nuances
• Can be used for data mining
• Exercising their own view of technology by what is used

One overall view was that learning is to question things and technology does not always support this.