ABSTRACT
Digital literacies are often theorised as a way of increasing individual power and agency relative to digital systems and technologies. Typically, they adopt an instrumentalist approach, which prioritises effective and efficient use of technology. Less common are critical approaches to digital literacies, which involve not only learning to use digital platforms and systems but also an analysis of their political economy and social shaping qualities. In this chapter, we argue that regardless of which approach is adopted, digital literacies function as a ‘soft power’ in education, changing the practices and dispositions of teachers, students and administrators. We focus on what this means in terms of digital platforms in schools, as it is often difficult for teachers and students to ‘opt out’ of use. The political economy of most educational platforms relies on a process of ‘double articulation’, where at the same time the platform provides value for students and teachers in terms of their participation, work and learning, it also creates value for the platform by profiling and positioning them within the data economy. This chapter will explore the latent mechanisms through which digital literacies are a ‘soft power’ acting on teachers, students and school administrators in educational settings.
