A social theory perspective on e-learning

Abstract

Current research on e-learning that focuses predominantly on instructional programming, and on various hardware and software, essentially neglects the more socio-cultural perspectives on e-learning. With this in mind, this article proceeds from a social theory perspective with a more socio-culturally engaged look at e-learning for workplace learning and pedagogy. In so doing, this article proposes a theoretical framework derived from the social theory of Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007), with a focus on his seminal, metaphorical notion of ‘simulation’. Finally, this metaphor is applied as a theoretical framework to discern the socio-cultural significance of the present trajectory of technological environments for workplace learning and their potential for conveying socially and (multi)culturally relevant workplace learning pedagogy.