Surveillance Digitisation, Performativity, and Teacher-Student Relationships in a Blended Learning Setting

Calderwood, Sarah (2025) Surveillance Digitisation, Performativity, and Teacher-Student Relationships in a Blended Learning Setting. Postdigital Science and Education. ISSN 2524-4868

Abstract

This study investigates how digitized surveillance technologies impact teacher-student relationships in a blended learning environment at a UAE university. Using semi-structured faculty interviews, it examines the effects of tools such as plagiarism detection, class recordings, and learning analytics on trust and engagement. The findings reveal tensions between institutional goals of academic integrity and active participation and the unintended consequences of fostering performative behaviours and eroding relational trust. Teachers report that surveillance mechanisms promote compliance over genuine learning, reshaping their roles and interactions with students. Despite these challenges, educators employ strategies of resistance, prioritising human connection and relational pedagogy to counteract the dehumanising effects of constant monitoring. This study contributes to postdigital scholarship by exploring the complex entanglements of technology, pedagogy, and trust, emphasising the need for critical and human-centred approaches to digital education.