In Higher Education, Technology Is Neither the Question nor the Answer

Abstract

This chapter critiques the prevailing assumption that technology alone can solve systemic educational challenges in higher education. Using economic theory and a metaphorical framework, it highlights how misguided or incomplete models and assumptions regarding digital learning often result in suboptimal outcomes. The authors argue that successful online education hinges not merely on technological capabilities but fundamentally on pedagogical innovation, instructional quality, and purposeful design. Through a comparative analysis of traditional and online instructional methods, the chapter provides evidence-based recommendations for optimizing educational technology deployment, emphasizing that technology should serve as an enabler of instructional excellence rather than an isolated solution.