This post first appeared on aud.life

The analogy of the technical "evolution" can only go so far, however. Technological systems are not like biological systems in a number of important ways -- most obviously the fact that they are the products of conscious design. Unlike biological organisms, technical artefacts are invented. Silicon does not rise up and make itself into a computer; Pascal or C++ does not coalesce on the screen to form a hypertext system. Consequently, the mode of transfer of "esconsed information" -- design, techniques and processes -- is different from biological organisms.

We must also be clear about what we mean by "evolution." "Change over time" is a good place to start, but it is far too vague to be useful; political parties, ice cream and conversations also change over time, but cannot be said to "evolve." On the other hand, it is dangerous (and conceptually vacuous) to import the language of genetics into historiography. -- Belinda Barnet, The Memory Machines

How much of this import happens in ed-tech?