Does technology transform education in lasting ways? The answer depends on who you ask. The consensus is that educational technologies are excellent multipliers of existing institutional, social and personal capabilities.

Toyama (2015) calls this multiplication function of technologies, the law of amplification. The law of amplification makes a far reaching claim in suggesting that technology alone does not and cannot impact or solve problems where humans are at the center. The law of amplification argues technology simply amplifies human intent, as Toyama (2015) notes, “Like a lever, technology amplifies people’s capacities in the direction of their intentions” (p. 28).

The law of amplification is not an entirely new concept, though. For example, Mumford (1966) stated that technology “[supports] and [enlarges] the capacities for human expression” (p. 53). Similarly, Hagen (2001) observed, “computer technology is not an independent force … [it amplifies] trends at work or reinforces existing institutions (p.56).” Cohen and Levinthal (1990) described the law of amplification as absorptive capacity while Agre (2002) described it as reinforcement model.

Another term that echoes the same idea is “The Matthew Effect,” which gets its name from a verse in the Gospel of Matthew that reads, “for unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath” (Matthew 25:29, King James Version).

Over the next few weeks I will explore reinforcement model, The Matthew Effect, absorptive capacity, and the Network Effect as they relate to EdTech.