Whats in a wiki? Issues of agency in light of student teachers' encounters with wiki technology

Abstract

This paper reports from a collaborative creative writing project in teacher education that involved the use of wikis. A fortunate match between task and technology created much enthusiasm among student teachers, and – as evident from an analysis of their logs – a growing awareness of technology as something more than a tool neatly adapted to particular purposes. In interviews conducted at a later stage, this awareness is no longer evident, and the student teachers are unable to connect their experiences to concepts like ‘digital competence’ and ‘learning outcomes’. The article discusses how and why teacher education should encourage a deeper understanding of technology, in which both human and technological agency are explored and problematized. This calls for a pedagogical setting that acknowledges the value of technological experimentation beyond recognized ‘learning outcomes’.