Explore underlying values

Question the values behind the statements

Question values and the validity of statements that are made. For example, the often repeated phrase that education is essential to give Canadian workers a "competitive edge in the new economy" has a number of value laded implications. If there is competition, it is accepted that there are winners and losers, which seems to represent a change in our perception that we want to be an egalitarian society that does not leave people as losers. If the term implies competition with other countries, then the implication is that other countries will be losers, which is again a change from a Canadian stance that less fortunate societies deserve support, not win/lose competition against them.

In the case of the values underlying the use of educational technologies, one could ask if the rationale for using a particular technology is to save money or to provide better learning. Some technologies, such as some of the conferencing technologies, favor those who are "quick off the mark" in responding, at the expense of those who wait and think: there are values about learners that support a decision to develop and maintain protocols to enable both the "talkers" and "thinkers" to have a chance.

In the field of education and training, these are many commonly used catch phrases that can be questioned, and if they are questioned, can lead to peeling away the assumptions and values behind a particular policy or action, in this case, the use of technologies for learning.

Check into what is meant by the terminology

This particular strategy is included under "exploring values" rather than "finding information" when it entails finding out about the frame of reference that shapes the meaning of a particular word or phrase. As Humpty Dumpty commented, 'When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean," and when challenged by Alice added the compelling argument of power. "The question is which is to be master - that's all."⁷²

For example, the term "knowledge workers" can mean a variety of things to different people. Depending on the context and framework of the person using the term, it can mean those who input information into databases, it can mean those who actually believe they know what's going to happen next: or it can mean those who work in jobs that require advanced education. By the same token, phrases such as "information economy" and "global market" are commonly used without explanation, but exploring their meaning can provide some idea of underlying values.

As another example, a new cable technology that claims to provide "two way communication" actually means one way transmission of information about products with just enough return bandwidth to enable subscribers to order the item.⁷³