Reading Chris Gilliard’s Pedagogy and the Logic of Platforms alongside J.D. Applen’s take on McLuhan in Writing for the Web: Composing, Coding, and Constructing Web Sites sparked a powerful realization about how technology silently shapes the classroom. Gilliard’s take on digital platforms and their built-in surveillance made me rethink how I view the tools I use; they’re not just ways to deliver content. They shape values, set expectations, and can quietly reinforce the same inequalities we’re trying to address.
Pairing that with Applen’s reflection on McLuhan’s “the medium is the message,” I see how even the layout of a webpage or the interactivity of a platform carries pedagogical weight. It’s not just what we teach but how we deliver it that matters deeply. As a future educator, this makes me more aware of the subtle ways digital design can either invite engagement or shut it down. I want to create learning environments both online and offline.
On the other hand, this challenges me to be more intentional. I can’t simply adopt trendy tech because it’s convenient or cute. I have to ask: Who benefits from this platform? Who gets left out? Does this medium foster curiosity and agency, or does it encourage passivity and compliance?
McLuhan and Gilliard together have made me realize that pedagogy and tech are inseparable. If I want my students to think critically and freely, the digital tools I use must reflect and support those same values. I have to teach with it, not just through it.
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