Ecologies of knowledge and the drifts of learning: a pedagogical reading between organism, technique and insti-tution

Abstract

This study explores the evolution of university pedagogical models in response to the transformations introduced by digital technologies, focusing on the co-evolution among man, the environment, and technology. Starting from the premise that cognition emerges from the dynamic interaction between biological agents and technical artefacts, the research investigates how technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence, affect learning. The aim is to challenge the isolationist vision of the mind and to propose a reading of learning as a distributed and embodied process that transcends traditional models of information transmission. The survey is based on a systematic review of the literature indexed in Scopus and on an empirical survey conducted through a questionnaire administered to students from different European universities. The results highlight widespread acceptance of technologies as cognitive mediators, but also raise concerns about standardisation and the loss of agency, underscoring the need for a conscious, regulated pedagogical orientation. The conclusions suggest that higher education needs to design ecologically extended learning environments that integrate smart technologies, inclusive methodologies such as flipped learning, and UDL design principles. This approach implies a pedagogy that recognises the tensions between technological substrates and teaching practices, creating spaces in which learning is embodied and co-evolves with socio-technical networks.