Digital media in education

Last updated
Students in a media lab class. Media Studio class - small groups (10859130216).jpg
Students in a media lab class.

Digital media in education refers to an individual's ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content and communication in various forms. [1] This includes the use of multiple digital softwares, devices, and platforms as tools for learning. The integration of digital media in education has been increased over time, rivaling books as a primary means of communication and gradually transforming traditional educational practices. [2]

Contents

History

20th century

Technological advances, including the invention of the Internet in the late 20th century, introduced the possibility of incorporating technology into education. In the early 1900s, the overhead projector was used as an educational tool, along with on-air classes available via radio. [3] The first use of computers in classrooms occurred in 1950, when a flight simulation program was used to train pilots at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [4] However, access to computers remained extremely limited. In 1964, researchers John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz developed a new computer language called BASIC, which was easier to learn and popularized time-sharing, enabling multiple students to use a computer simultaneously. [4] By the 1980s, schools began to show more interest in computers as companies released mass-market devices to the public. [3] Networking further facilitated the connection of computers into a single communication system, which was both more efficient and cost-effective than previous stand-alone machines, prompting widespread adoption in schools. [4]

By 1999, 99% of public school teachers in the United States reported access to at least one computer in their schools, and 84% had access to a computer in their classroom. [5] The invention of the World Wide Web in 1992 simplified internet navigation and sparked further interest in educational settings. Computers were initially integrated into school curricula for tasks such as word processing, spreadsheet creation, and data organization. By the late 1990s, the Internet became a research tool, functioning as a vast library resource. [4]

The World Wide Web also led to the development of learning management systems, which allowed educators to create online teaching environments for content storage, student activities, discussions, and assignments. [6] Advances in digital compression and high-speed Internet made video creation and distribution more affordable, contributing to the rise of systems designed for recording lectures. These systems were often incorporated into learning management platforms, supporting the growth of fully online courses. [6]

21st century

Students taking an assessment on iPads IPad Writers.jpg
Students taking an assessment on iPads

By 2002, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology began offering recorded lectures to the public, marking a significant step toward accessible online education. [6] The creation of YouTube in 2005 further revolutionized educational content distribution. Many educators started uploading lectures and instructional videos, with platforms like Khan Academy, which began posting on YouTube in 2006, helping to establish the site as a valuable educational tool. [6] In 2007, Apple launched iTunesU, another platform for sharing educational resources and videos. Meanwhile, learning management systems gained popularity, with Blackboard and Canvas becoming two of the most widely used platforms after Canvas's release in 2008. That same year saw the introduction of the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), which offered webinars and expert posts accessible to anyone. [6]

As technology evolved, traditional projectors were gradually replaced by interactive whiteboards, which enabled teachers to integrate digital tools more effectively in their classrooms. [7] By 2009, 97% of U.S. classrooms had at least one computer, and 93% had Internet access. [3]

The COVID-19 pandemic, which forced schools across the world to close, significantly impacted education with schools shifting to distance education. [8] Students attended classes remotely using devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets, utilizing digital platforms as tools for creating at-home learning environments. [9]

Some schools faced challenges in adapting assessments and exams to the new learning environment. [10] In a study by Eddie M. Mulenga and José M. Marbán on Zambian students during the pandemic, students struggled to adapt to online learning in subjects like mathematics, as they were unprepared for the unfamiliar digital platforms. Similar issues were observed among students in Romania, where the transition to virtual learning presented significant obstacles in engagement and adaptation. [11]

Related Research Articles

Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually involved correspondence courses wherein the student corresponded with the school via mail. Distance education is a technology-mediated modality and has evolved with the evolution of technologies such as video conferencing, TV, and the Internet. Today, it usually involves online education and the learning is usually mediated by some form of technology. A distance learning program can either be completely a remote learning, or a combination of both online learning and traditional offline classroom instruction. Other modalities include distance learning with complementary virtual environment or teaching in virtual environment (e-learning).

Blended learning or hybrid learning, also known as technology-mediated instruction, web-enhanced instruction, or mixed-mode instruction, is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with physical place-based classroom methods.

M-learning, or mobile learning, is a form of distance education or technology enhanced active learning where learners use portable devices such as mobile phones to learn anywhere and anytime. The portability that mobile devices provide allows for learning anywhere, hence the term "mobile" in "mobile learning." M-learning devices include computers, MP3 players, mobile phones, and tablets. M-learning can be an important part of informal learning.

A learning management system (LMS) or virtual learning environment (VLE) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, materials or learning and development programs. The learning management system concept emerged directly from e-Learning. Learning management systems make up the largest segment of the learning system market. The first introduction of the LMS was in the late 1990s. LMSs have been adopted by almost all higher education institutions in the English-speaking world. Learning management systems have faced a massive growth in usage due to the emphasis on remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online school</span> School that teaches students entirely or primarily online or through the Internet

An online school teaches students entirely or primarily online or through the Internet. It has been defined as "education that uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students. Online education exists all around the world and is used for all levels of education. This type of learning enables the individuals to earn transferable credits, take recognized examinations, and advance to the next level of education over the Internet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interactive whiteboard</span> Large interactive display

An interactive whiteboard (IWB), also known as interactive board, interactive display, interactive digital board or smart board, is a large interactive display board in the form factor of a whiteboard. It can either be a standalone touchscreen computer used independently to perform tasks and operations, or a connectable apparatus used as a touchpad to control computers from a projector. They are touch screen enabled small computers.They are used in a variety of settings, including classrooms at all levels of education, in corporate board rooms and work groups, in training rooms for professional sports coaching, in broadcasting studios, and others.

Educational technology is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. When referred to with its abbreviation, "EdTech", it often refers to the industry of companies that create educational technology. In EdTech Inc.: Selling, Automating and Globalizing Higher Education in the Digital Age, Tanner Mirrlees and Shahid Alvi (2019) argue "EdTech is no exception to industry ownership and market rules" and "define the EdTech industries as all the privately owned companies currently involved in the financing, production and distribution of commercial hardware, software, cultural goods, services and platforms for the educational market with the goal of turning a profit. Many of these companies are US-based and rapidly expanding into educational markets across North America, and increasingly growing all over the world."

Technology integration is defined as the use of technology to enhance and support the educational environment. Technology integration in the classroom can also support classroom instruction by creating opportunities for students to complete assignments on the computer rather than with normal pencil and paper. In a larger sense, technology integration can also refer to the use of an integration platform and application programming interface (API) in the management of a school, to integrate disparate SaaS applications, databases, and programs used by an educational institution so that their data can be shared in real-time across all systems on campus, thus supporting students' education by improving data quality and access for faculty and staff.

"Curriculum integration with the use of technology involves the infusion of technology as a tool to enhance the learning in a content area or multidisciplinary setting... Effective technology integration is achieved when students can select technology tools to help them obtain information on time, analyze and synthesize it, and present it professionally to an authentic audience. Technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions—as accessible as all other classroom tools. The focus in each lesson or unit is the curriculum outcome, not the technology."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in South Africa</span>

Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the Department of Basic Education (DBE), which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which is responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Prior to 2009, both departments were represented in a single Department of Education. Among sub-Saharan African countries, South Africa has one of the highest literacy rates. According to The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency as of 2019, 95% of the population aged from 15 and over can read and write in South Africa were respectively literate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital literacy</span> Competency in using digital technology

Digital literacy is an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information using typing or digital media platforms. It is a combination of both technical and cognitive abilities in using information and communication technologies to create, evaluate, and share information.

An edublog is a blog created for educational purposes. Edublogs archive and support [[dibu] and teacher learning by facilitating reflection, questioning by self and others, collaboration and by providing contexts for engaging in higher-order thinking. Edublogs proliferated when blogging architecture became more simplified and teachers perceived the instructional potential of blogs as an online resource. The use of blogs has become popular in education institutions including public schools and colleges. Blogs can be useful tools for sharing information and tips among co-workers, providing information for students, or keeping in contact with parents. Common examples include blogs written by or for teachers, blogs maintained for the purpose of classroom instruction, or blogs written about educational policy. Educators who blog are sometimes called edubloggers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Computers in Education Conference</span>

This National Conference is the biennial conference of the Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE). The conference opens to anyone who in interested in sharing their digital teaching experiences. The first conference took place in Melbourne, 1983. Between 1983 and 1996, the conference was held annually across Australia. After 1996, the conference became biennial. From 1994, a series of frameworks were launched in Australia to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into education. Western Australia's 2001 Competency framework for Teachers identified teachers as an important component in developing computer education. In 2010, Education Minister Julia Gillard, proposed an education agenda to provide Australia a better education system. Besides ACCE, there are many organizations and conferences supporting the development of computer education in Australia. Technology in education consists of two major approaches: Learning with technology and learning from technology. Technology in education learning and traditional classroom learning have different focuses and defining features. There are also four types of computer education: Bring your own device(BYOD), blended learning, online learning, and flipped learning.

Social learning tools are tools used for pedagogical and andragogical purposes that utilize social software and/or social media in order to facilitate learning through interactions between individuals and systems. The idea of setting up "social learning tools" is to make education more convenient and widespread. It also allows an interaction between users and/or the software which can bring a different aspect to learning. People can acquire knowledge by distance learning tools, for instance, Facebook, Twitter, Khan Academy and so on. Social learning tools may mediate in formal or informal learning environments to help create connections between learners, instructors and information. These connections form dynamic knowledge networks. Social learning tools are used in schools for teaching/learning and in businesses for training. Within a school environment, the use of social learning tools can affect not only the user (student) but his/her caretaker as well as his/her instructor. It brings a different approach to the traditional way of learning which affects the student and his/her support circle. Companies also use social learning tools. They used them to improve knowledge transfer within departments and across teams. Businesses use a variety of these tools to create a social learning environment. They are also used in company settings to help improve team work, problem solving, and performance in stressful situations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computers in the classroom</span> The use of computers in school

Computers in the classroom include any digital technology used to enhance, supplement, or replace a traditional educational curriculum with computer science education. As computers have become more accessible, inexpensive, and powerful, the demand for this technology has increased, leading to more frequent use of computer resources within classes, and a decrease in the student-to-computer ratio within schools.

Online communication between home and school is the use of digital telecommunication to convey information and ideas between teachers, students, parents, and school administrators. As the use of e-mail and the internet becomes even more widespread, these tools become more valuable and useful in education for the purposes of increasing learning for students, and facilitating conversations between students, parents, and schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Classroom</span> Blended learning platform by Google

Google Classroom is a free blended learning platform developed by Google for educational institutions that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students. As of 2021, approximately 150 million users use Google Classroom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kahoot!</span> Norwegian online educational quiz game

Kahoot! is a Norwegian online game-based learning platform. It has learning games, also known as "kahoots", which are user-generated multiple-choice quizzes that can be accessed via a web browser or the Kahoot! app.

Social media in education is the use of social media to enhance education. Social media is "a group of Internet-based applications...that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content". It is also known as the read/write web. As time went on and technology evolved, social media has been an integral part of people's lives, including students, scholars, and teachers in the form of social media. However, social media is controversial because in addition to providing new means of connection, critics claim that it damages self-esteem, shortens attention spans, and increases mental health issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online learning in higher education</span> Development in distance education that began in the mid-1980s

Online learning involves courses offered by primary institutions that are 100% virtual. Online learning, or virtual classes offered over the internet, is contrasted with traditional courses taken in a brick-and-mortar school building. It is a development in distance education that expanded in the 1990s with the spread of the commercial Internet and the World Wide Web. The learner experience is typically asynchronous but may also incorporate synchronous elements. The vast majority of institutions utilize a learning management system for the administration of online courses. As theories of distance education evolve, digital technologies to support learning and pedagogy continue to transform as well.

Information Communications Technology is usually included in the Home Economics and Livelihood Education program in grade school and taught through the Technology and Home Economics program in high school. The recent status of ICT education in the Philippines, along with other Southeast Asian countries, was surveyed by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) in 2011. Using the UNESCO model of ICT Development in Education, the countries were ranked as Emerging, Applying, Infusing or Transforming. The Philippines were ranked at the Infusing stage of integrating ICT in education, indicating that the country has integrated ICT into existing teaching, learning and administrative practices and policies. This includes components such as a national vision of ICT in education, national ICT plans and policies, complementary national ICT and education policies, professional development for teachers and school leaders, community or partnership and teaching and learning pedagogies. A 2012 study reported that public high schools in Metro Manila had a computer to student ratio of 1:63. While 88 percent of schools have internet connections, half of the students claimed not to be using it.

References

  1. Buckingham, David (2007-05-11). "Media education goes digital: an introduction". Learning, Media and Technology. 32 (2): 111–119. doi: 10.1080/17439880701343006 . ISSN   1743-9884. S2CID   62231997.
  2. "Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom: A Guide for Educators". Waterford.org. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Evolution Of Technology In The Classroom | Purdue Online". Purdue University Online. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  4. 1 2 3 4 F., Sharp, Vicki (2009). Computer education for teachers : integrating technology into classroom teaching. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-0-470-14110-6. OCLC   934259043.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Smerdon, Becky (2000). Teachers' tools for the 21st century : a report on teachers' use of technology. National Center for Education Statistics. OCLC   45430598.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Bates, A. W. (Tony); Bates, A. W. (2015-04-05). "6.2 A short history of educational technology".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. Howard, Sarah K; Mozejko, Adrian (2015-09-25), "Considering the history of digital technologies in education", Teaching and Digital Technologies, Cambridge University Press, pp. 157–168, doi:10.1017/cbo9781316091968.017, ISBN   9781316091968 , retrieved 2022-12-13
  8. Maity, Sudarshan; Sahu, Tarak Nath; Sen, Nabanita (2020-12-10). "Panoramic view of digital education in COVID-19: A new explored avenue". Review of Education. 9 (2): 405–423. doi: 10.1002/rev3.3250 . ISSN   2049-6613. S2CID   230589985.
  9. C, Lloyd Chrispin; S, Agnes Daney Angela; R, Jayaraman; V, Jothiswaran V. (2020-05-10). "Web-Based Platforms for Virtual Learning". Biotica Research Today. 2 (5 Spl): 184–186. ISSN   2582-6654.
  10. Burgess, Simon; Sievertsen, Hans Henrik (2020-04-01). "Schools, skills, and learning: The impact of COVID-19 on education". VoxEU.org. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  11. Ionescu, Constantin Aurelian; Paschia, Liliana; Gudanescu Nicolau, Nicoleta Luminita; Stanescu, Sorina Geanina; Neacsu Stancescu, Veronica Maria; Coman, Mihaela Denisa; Uzlau, Marilena Carmen (2020-10-30). "Sustainability Analysis of the E-Learning Education System during Pandemic Period—COVID-19 in Romania". Sustainability. 12 (21): 9030. doi: 10.3390/su12219030 . ISSN   2071-1050.