What Does it Mean to Learn in the 21st Century? Philosophical Considerations from an Ontological Perspective on Education
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This study reconstructs the meaning of learning in the 21st century from an ontological perspective, responding to the dominance of technology-driven, performance-oriented education. Drawing on the philosophical frameworks of Heidegger, Dewey, Levinas, Biesta, and Deleuze, it critically examines how contemporary educational discourse—shaped by artificial intelligence, big data, and competency-based curricula—tends to instrumentalize learning and marginalize its existential, ethical, and democratic dimensions. Using a systematic literature review of 45 recent Korean studies on AI education, metaverse learning, digital literacy, and learning analytics, the research applies topic-oriented analysis to identify prevailing themes and then interprets them ontologically. Findings reveal a strong emphasis on efficiency, measurability, and predictability, often at the expense of learners’ autonomy, ethical responsiveness, and generative subjectivity. The paper proposes philosophical and practical shifts in curriculum design, technology integration, teacher roles, and education policy to re-center learning as a process of becoming—where learners transform their existence, encounter otherness, and create new possibilities. The study underscores that genuine education must link internal transformation to the public purpose of democratic citizenship formation.
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