Abstract

The concept of “social machineµ, used since the early years of the World Wide Web to describe its deep dynamics, now finds further application to the context of digital platforms in education. The evolution of the WWW and the emergence of social machines as environments combining human interactions and technologies have also played a role in transformative processes in education, enabling sometimes radical interventions in the dynamics of interaction and learning. Reflection on platformization, from time to time centered on legal, cultural, communicative and educational aspects, inevitably leads to considering also educational platforms as ecosystems that are not always fully understood in their complexity. The architecture of LMS platforms (Learning Management System) not infrequently reflects – despite the increased opportunities for interaction and co-construction of learning paths – traditional pedagogical approaches, showing the need for a critical approach to platformization. The analysis of the use of artificial intelligence and data in education, through methodological tools such as autoethnography and participatory design, can help understand the structural interconnectedness of culture and technology for activities that are more centered on student learning, and characterized by a fuller integration of theory and practice