The deep integration of digital technology and higher education has accelerated the digital transformation of higher education research, but while digital technology empowers higher education research, it also brings potential risks. A systematic analysis of the motivations, characteristics and possible risks of the digital shift in higher education research is carried outThe practical needs of the development of higher education science and the innovation of digital technology are the key driving forces to promote the digital transformation of higher education research.
The digital transformation of higher education research is mainly manifested in the following ways: the research subject has changed from a single subject to a diversified subject; The object of research gradually changed from subjective to objective; The purpose of the research has shifted from exploring "causality" in higher education to exploring "correlation". Research methods have shifted from qualitative to quantitative analysis. The potential risks of the digital shift in higher education research include the emergence of a "digital Leviathan", the lack of value rationality, and the possible digital ethics and security issues. People need to keep a clear understanding of the above-mentioned potential risks, so that digital technology can more efficiently empower higher education research and promote the construction of higher education disciplines.
1. The basic connotation of the digital transformation of higher education research
"Turn" means to change direction, and there are two usages: verb and noun. When "turn" is used as a verb, the "digital turn in higher education research" refers to the transformation of the field of "higher education research" towards a new digital direction. At this time, the "turn" represents a change in the research theme of higher education, which belongs to the transformation of the nature of thingsIt's a change in the ontological sense. When "turning" is used as a noun, "digital turn in higher education research" refers to a phenomenon in higher education research, and the ways and methods of turning point to the way of digitalization.
At this time, the change in the research method, field of view and approach of "turning" represents the change. Therefore, the digital transformation of higher education research refers not only to the change of the subject and content of higher education research, but also to the transformation of higher education research methods, approaches and paradigms. In general, the digital transformation of higher education research is not a complete negation of the original research methods, thinking and content of higher educationIt aims to use digital technology to open up new fields of higher education research, improve the level of higher education research, and then help the development of higher education disciplines in the new era.
In essence, the digital transformation of higher education research is a process of digital technology empowering higher education research, which will eventually form a new model of higher education research with the all-round coupling development of digital technology and higher education research. However, in the process, people need to recognize that the digital shift only provides a possible path for higher education research, and people see that the digital transition brings development opportunities for higher education researchIt is also necessary to be aware that there are still certain limits and potential risks in the application of digital technology in higher education research.
2 The basic motivation and supporting conditions for the digital transformation of higher education research
Basic motivation: the practical needs of the development of higher education science. External motivations: Higher education has begun to establish a digital scientific governance systemAt present, China is gradually establishing a digital higher education governance system based on digital technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence. Digital governance of higher education refers to the collection of higher education governance information with the help of digital technology, and the use of scientific digital algorithms to process the collected information, and then based on the obtained data results for educational evaluation and decision-making, to achieve the behavior shaping of universities, teachers, students and other higher education-related subjects, so as to finally realize the scientific governance of higher education. The establishment of a digital governance system is an external driving force for the digital transformation of higher education research.
On the one hand, with the establishment of the digital governance system, digitization in higher education governance has become the main mode of understanding and reforming the higher education system. "Digitization" refers to the conversion of different aspects of higher education, such as test scores and teaching evaluation results, into data, and the establishment of corresponding databases, in which the results can be measured, calculated, and converted into charts and other formats through the database. The establishment of various databases provides a data basis for researchers to analyze and evaluate the quality of higher education development in China. It can be said that the digitalization of higher education governance has made some research topics feasible that cannot be carried out by traditional methods.
For example, a study based on provincial panel data from 2008 to 2017 conducted an empirical analysis of the contribution of higher vocational education to economic growth in China. Based on the data of Ye China Statistical Yearbook, this study analyzes whether there are regional differences in the contribution of higher vocational education to regional economic growth. Without the help of digital technology to characterize and store various indicators such as the national economy, this research would not have been able to be carried out smoothly. Therefore, the digitalization of higher education governance is an important foundation and premise for the digital transformation of higher education research.
On the other hand, in recent years, education-related departments have begun to publish the development data of various colleges and universities, such as the basic status of undergraduate teaching in colleges and universities, student employment data, etc. It can be seen that there is a growing emphasis in higher education on education governance based on various forms of data. This requires higher education researchers to be able to scientifically measure and analyze education data with the help of continuous digital technology, so as to dig deep into the development law of higher education represented behind the education data, and provide scientific suggestions for the high-quality development of higher education based on this. Therefore, in the process of establishing a digital scientific governance system in higher education, the digital transformation of higher education research has also become inevitable. In recent years, social sciences have gradually tried to learn from quantitative research methods in the natural sciences to improve the scientific nature of research.
In addition, whether a study uses quantitative research methods or not is considered an important basis for whether it is scientific. Higher education research is no exception. Within the discipline of higher education, criticism of the "emphasis on speculation over empirical evidence" in traditional higher education research is often heard. In addition, the critique of higher education research also includes its detachment from the practical foundation and the neglect of the guiding role and responsibility of practice. In order for theoretical research to guide practice, it must rely on empirical research to exert the academic and practical influence of the discipline of education. The above factors have led to the vigilance of higher education researchers in China to the existential crisis faced by this disciplineThis kind of vigilance and crisis awareness is the psychological motivation for higher education research to continue to pursue science.
3. Possible risks of the digital shift in higher education research and their responses
With the emergence of the "digital Leviathan" and its circumvention of the digital age, the "digital turn" of higher education research tends to evolve from only emphasizing the importance of digital technology and educational data to a "digital Leviathan". "Digital Leviathan" means that in the information society, due to the improper use of information technology by human beings, information technology will eat up human society itself, making human beings feel bound by numbers. The negative effects of the emergence of the "digital Leviathan" in higher education research include the birth of digital totalitarianism in higher education governance.
Because it is believed that the data results obtained from the research on higher education through quantitative analysis methods have strong objectivity and scientific nature, the obtained data results have become an important driving force for people to carry out higher education reform**. That is, digital technology, in turn, controls the way human beings govern higher education, forming digital totalitarianism. The proliferation of higher education data and information. Some researchers believe that all phenomena in higher education can be digitally representedOne of the results of the tendency to convert all kinds of objects or relationships in the field of higher education into computable data is the proliferation of higher education data.
Although there is a lot of data, there is little valuable information, and researchers need to spend a lot of time and energy to screen valuable data information, which greatly reduces the scientific research efficiency of higher education researchers. In order to avoid the possible risks brought by the "digital Leviathan" to the greatest extent, we need to pay attention to: on the one hand, we have a deep understanding of the limitations of digital technology and quantitative research methods, and the data analysis results obtained with the help of digital technology can only be scientifically concluded by higher education researchers after rational and in-depth thinking in connection with educational practicein order to effectively guide the practice of higher education.
Quantitative research methods only represent one possible path of higher education research, and are by no means equivalent to the whole of higher education research, and the research conclusions obtained through quantitative research should not become the only knowledge guiding the governance of higher education**. Higher education research should establish a pluralistic and systematic system and adopt diversified research methods, so that the research results obtained are more conducive to efficient service to the governance of higher education. On the other hand, be wary of the emergence of a "cult of numbers". Digital technology has strengthened data control in educationPeople are beginning to believe that all educational facts in higher education can be digitally represented, creating a cult of data and leading to an intensification of data control in education.
In fact, we can't characterize everything in higher education in the form of data alone. Moreover, there is a certain discrepancy between the educational phenomena represented by educational data and the educational phenomena in the real world. Therefore, it is necessary to rationally look at the role of digital technology in higher education research and avoid falling into the trap of thinking that all phenomena in higher education can be digitized. The absence of value rationality and its return to the digital shift in higher education research often manifests itself as a kind of technological rationality.
By regulating the behavior of digital technology users, digital technology can reshape the individual's cognitive and thinking mode to a certain extent, which makes it difficult for human beings to get rid of their dependence on digital technology. In this process, the subjective status and rights of human beings are constantly dissolved and transferred, which makes higher education researchers lack the attention to human beings and the rational consideration of human value in the research processThis is mainly manifested in the empirical paradigm of higher education research, which is leading to the simple transformation of educational phenomena into a series of numerical symbols and formulas.
In fact, the lack of value rationality in higher education research is easy to get lost in a series of data and information, and ignore the meaning of education itself and the value of people, and at the same time, it is easy for education decision-makers to fall into the dependence on data and rankings in education decision-making, while ignoring the opinions and feelings of teachers, students and other subjects related to higher education. However, the purpose of higher education research is to better promote human development by exploring the fundamental laws of higher education, so when we interpret education data,Particular attention should be paid to the return of value rationality, specifically: to see the connection between educational data and people.
Higher education research should be aware that behind the educational data is the information of "living" people. Digital technology is only a tool for people to understand the phenomenon of education, and the educational information obtained is not the ultimate goal pursued by higher education research institutes. In fact, the ultimate goal of higher education research should be to care for people. We should use digital technology to collect information on the emotional, experiential, and creative aspects of higher education stakeholdersThrough the study of these data, we can deeply grasp the law of talent training in higher education and improve the quality of talent training.
See human subjectivity in higher education research. In higher education research, we need to be vigilant against the encroachment of digital technology on people's dominant position. Digital technology is only a tool to assist us in the study of the phenomenon of higher education, and should never occupy the main position of higher education research. Digital technology can only play its value if it is properly applied by people, and the use of digital technology can never completely replace people's rational thinking. Therefore, higher education research should adhere to the concept that technology serves peopleIt is committed to realizing the efficient empowerment of researchers by digital technology, so as to serve the development of higher education and achieve the mission of improving the common education and well-being of mankind.
The Emergence of Digital Ethics and Security Issues and Their ResponsesIn higher education research, the acquisition, processing, and use of data involve many data security and ethical norms. In recent years, data security incidents such as data leakage, data theft, data misuse, and data loss in the field of higher education have occurred frequently, which is a symptom of digital ethics and security issues. Higher education data contains a large number of sensitive data and personal privacy of universities, teachers, students and other related subjectsIf the relevant data is leaked, it will lead to the disclosure of the privacy of relevant subjects of higher education.
Therefore, higher education research in the digital age needs to pay special attention to digital ethics and digital security. On the one hand, the national level should formulate regulations and ethical guidelines for the protection of educational data, and strictly regulate the whole process of researchers' acquisition, use and sharing of educational data, so that researchers can standardize the use of educational data under standardized processes and strict supervision to ensure the security of educational data. On the other hand, higher education researchers need to further improve their digital security literacy and enhance their awareness and ability to protect the privacy and data of their research subjects. Higher-level: Universities or relevant organizations can help researchers clarify the correct use and scope of educational data by setting up special training or lectures, and teach researchers how to use encryption technology to ensure language. Education