Digital Amnesia and Sociology of Education: Pedagogical and Social Reflections of Technology Dependency

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of digital amnesia from the perspective of the sociology of education, analyzing the multidimensional effects of technology dependency on pedagogical practices and social inequalities. Digital amnesia, which emerges when individuals delegate the responsibility of remembering information to digital devices, has in recent years become not only a subject of cognitive psychology but also a central concern for the sociology of education. Drawing on Bourdieu's cultural capital, Bernstein's pedagogic discourse, and Freire's critical pedagogy as theoretical frameworks, this qualitative review synthesizes international literature and current statistical data. The study addresses three core dimensions. First, it examines the socioeconomic and geographical foundations of the digital divide, demonstrating that access to technology and the capacity to use it effectively constitute a new form of cultural capital in the Bourdieusian sense, thereby reproducing existing inequalities. Second, drawing on Bernstein's framework, it discusses how digital technologies transform teacher authority and how the attention economy shapes classroom dynamics. Third, it analyzes intergenerational tensions between digital natives and digital immigrants, as well as shifts in parental involvement in education. The findings indicate that digital amnesia is a multilayered and structural problem that goes far beyond an individual concern. Accordingly, the study proposes three socio-pedagogical solutions: critical digital literacy programs inspired by Freire's critical pedagogy tradition, community-school partnership digital access centers, and comprehensive teacher education reform grounded in the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework.