Ontological understanding of posthuman learners and the paradigm shift of learning theories

This paper explored new paradigmatic changes of learning theories based on the emergence of posthuman learners in the era of technology based society. To achieve his purpose, this paper focused on two main research questions: First, under the ontological perspectives of posthuman learners, how do the styles and genres of posthuman learning change and how are the learning styles characterized? Second, how do the emergence of posthuman learners divert the paradigm of learning theories, and what are the theoretical foundations and directions of learning in the future? The key arguments of this paper s discussion are epitomized as follow: First, the object-oriented ontology is necessary to understand the posthuman learners who will experience 4 representative posthuman learning styles: networked communication, new interface, ubiquitous environment, and innovative feedback. These examples of new learning styles are rapidly settled in cyber-space learnings, bioroid learnings, and networked learnings. Second, the posthuman learning requires neo-materialism, post-phenomenology, and actor-network theory for securing its epistemological standpoints, and provides new perspectives on figuring out the posthuman learners through networked environments, new media, and post-anthropocentrism. This paper s discussion may expedite new forums on the learning and teaching theories in the era of techno-centric society.