Understanding digital health as public pedagogy : a critical framework

Rich, E; Miah, A

Abstract

This paper argues on behalf of a public pedagogy approach to developing a critical understanding of digital health technologies. It begins by appraising the hitherto polarised articulations of digital innovation as either techno-utopian or techno-dystopian, examining these expectations of technology and considering the tensions between them. It subsequently outlines how a public pedagogy approach can help mediate between these views, offering a more contextualised, socio-political perspective of mHealth. This approach teases out the nuances of digital health by engaging with the complexities of embodied learning. Furthermore, it urges caution against viewing these pedagogical forces as one of transference, or simple governance. To this end, we therefore contextualise our critique of digital health, within an attempt to reconstitute an understanding of public pedagogies of technology.

Citation

Rich, E., & Miah, A. (2014). Understanding digital health as public pedagogy : a critical framework. Societies, 4(2), 296-315. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4020296

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 29, 2014
• Publication Date: Jun 10, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jan 29, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: Societies
• Electronic ISSN: 2075-4698
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 296-315
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4020296
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/soc4020296
• Related Public URLs: http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/4/2/296