Viewing E-Learning Productivity from the Perspective of Habermas' Cognitive Interests Theory

In the throes of an educational transformation from a print culture to a digitized culture, educators face an important challenge of how to define e-learning productivity. This article reviews the meanings of learning productivity from the selective literature and points out the need to conceptualize learning productivity in an e-learning environment. It draws on Habermas’ Cognitive Interests Theory as the conceptual foundation. The proposed framework for e-learning productivity describes three distinct orientations: instrumental, communicative, and emancipatory. The common notion of e-learning productivity often focuses mainly on instrumental objectives that are measured in terms of higher achievement, better test scores, more satisfaction, less cost, and so forth. Yet, this article argues that the notion of e-learning productivity should also encompass the aspects of reaching common understanding, building team consensus, and achieving critical reflection, self-actualization, and emancipation from constraints, because all of these are relevant aspects in today’s technologically rich learning environment.