Exploring the Possibilities of Dramatic Rehearsal as a Framework for the Evaluation of Digital Technologies in Education

The purpose of this chapter is to show how the philosophy of John Dewey can contribute to our understanding of background assumptions and framework for the research and evaluation of digital devices for learning. I concentrate mainly on digital learning technologies that make use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), more specifically ChatGPT, as they pose the critical problem of possible future consequences. For Dewey, dramatic rehearsal is one way to tackle the problem of uncertainty and open-endedness of new technologies. The evaluation of digital technologies for learning and educational purposes is no exception here. What I want to show is that Dewey’s critique would not target only the digital devices themselves, but rather its use. In the following, I show how Dewey’s concept of dramatic rehearsal could provide us with criteria for a framework to evaluate digital devices in learning practices. First, I present the concept of dramatic rehearsal in more detail. Then I comment briefly on genres and methods that can be employed. Finally, I apply some elements of dramatic rehearsal to the use of AI in learning and education.