Co-Constructions of Learning and Technology. On the Change of "Learning Subjects" in the 20th Century

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Currently, the topic of "learning" is undergoing a fierce debate on two levels: On the one hand, the digitalization of learning uses electronic media to create new opportunities as well as motivations for learning. On the other hand, machine learning algorithms are trained to "learn" based on a variety of information. Both are predicated upon processes of quantification, scientificalization, and technicalization of learning; these processes have thoroughly transformed traditional humanistic concepts of "learning subjects" during the course of the 20th century. The Emmy Noether Research Group aims to historically analyze these processes as well as the co-constructions of learning and technology. Three interrelated levels of analysis central to the field of learning form the basis for this approach: "subject", “environment”, "gender". This approach serves the purpose of understanding how quantification was used to construct measurable as well as gendered learning subjects, who, in turn, were being optimized and controlled through technicalization. At the center of these historical analyses is the importance of the role of experiments, technical objects (teaching/learning machines and programs), and technical environments (virtual reality, simulation), which are all being utilized in and for the production of knowledge and the development of learning theories. By identifying cultural and epistemological premises and developments of the co-constructions of learning and technology, the analyses are designed to contribute to a deeper understanding of current developments in the area of digital learning and machine learning.