From Knowledge Carrier to Cognitive Engine: A Triadic Framework for Smart Textbooks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46690/era.2026.02.06Abstract
With the advancement of educational digitalization strategies, core educational resources like textbooks are undergoing unprecedented transformations as traditional static, unidirectional, and rigid models fail to meet demands for personalized learning and higher-order competency cultivation. This study establishes a systematic theoretical framework through interdisciplinary perspectives of philosophy, pedagogy, and psychology to analyze the ontological nature of smart textbooks (STs), revealing a paradigm shift from "knowledge carriers" to "cognitive engines" through three dimensions: ontologically, transitioning from static entities to dynamic cognitive ecosystems; epistemologically, evolving from unidirectional transmission to collaborative knowledge construction; and axiologically, advancing from instrumental rationality to educational rationality. Furthermore, the research deconstructs four driving cognitive mechanisms (generation-adaptation-collaboration-evolution) underlying STs operations, aiming to clarify their core characteristics and operational logic to provide theoretical foundations and practical guidelines for digital-era educational innovation that transcend limitations of traditional pedagogical models.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Wang, X. T., Lv, X. Y., & Wang, H. C. (2026). From knowledge carrier to cognitive engine: A triadic framework for smart textbooks. Educational Research Advances, 1(2), 124-139. https://doi.org/10.46690/era.2026.02.06
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Keywords:
Smart Textbooks, Cognitive Engine, Educational Digitalization, Ontology, Epistemology, Axiology, Cognitive LogicReferences
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