Actor-network theory : a device for reimagining participants in education research

The role, influence and importance of participants in education research could be enhanced by the application of Actor-Network Theory (ANT). There is potential for utilising ANT concepts in an applied heuristic method employed to gather empirical data and for analysing the complex networks involved in educational settings. Two ANT concepts are explored in this chapter: actor networks; and inscription and delegation. The application of these ANT concepts is explored through a research study of the implementation of interactive videoconferencing for teaching in a multi-campus university setting. Reimagining non-humans (natural and technological objects) by treating them as active participants in socio-technical networks clarifies the extent to which they interact with, shape and are shaped by people and other non-humans. Such an understanding facilitates a more sophisticated and nuanced data collection and analytical analysis, as well as adding a new aspect to public debate about the social and ethical implications of who/what are considered participants in education research.