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Digital pedagogy is the study and use of contemporary digital technologies in teaching and learning. [1] Digital pedagogy may be applied to online, hybrid, and face-to-face learning environments. Digital pedagogy also has roots in the theory of constructivism.
Digital pedagogy has its origins in distance learning, which took the form of correspondence courses delivered by mail during the early twentieth century. [2] In 1858 the University of London offered the first distance learning degree, known as the External Programme. [3] Charles Dickens referred to the institution as the "peoples' university” as it allowed broader access to higher education. [4] In the United States, educational TV programs and radio broadcasts were created by academic institutions such as the University of Louisville, with the cooperation of NBC. Telecourses saw a resurgence in the early 1970s with the spread of community colleges. These distance courses paved the way for online education, which came to prevalence during the popularization of the Internet, beginning at the end of the twentieth century
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Association for Computers and the Humanities offered workshops and conferences on teaching computers and the humanities, just as digital humanities centres were becoming widespread. [5] In 1965, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was created. This organization was far ahead of its time. It even launched the Office of Digital Humanities. There is now an annual conference entitled the International Conference on Digital Pedagogies which takes place in a different country each year. The University of Waterloo, the University of Guelph, Brock University, Ryerson University and the University of Toronto have recently come together to develop a joint conference.
A definition and circumscription of the digital pedagogy domain starts from a good knowledge of pedagogy. This is because digital pedagogy is and will remain a projection of pedagogy in the digital space. Also, the definition of digital pedagogy requires a good knowledge of the technological possibilities translated into concrete educational situations – the experience of the last years shows that only certain aspects of the use of digital technologies in education have authentic value and can add new pedagogical meanings.
A working definition for digital pedagogy is given by JISC: “We define digital pedagogy as the study of how digital technologies can be used to best effect in teaching and learning” (JISC, 2020/ 2021), a completion of an older short definition: “In simple terms, a digital pedagogy is the study of how to teach using digital technologies” (Howell, 2013). Various definitions in the specialized literature are centred (exclusively) on the practical aspect of teaching and/or learning, sometimes in relation to certain pedagogical currents or in contrast to certain aspects of “traditional” education. In analysing the praxeological and epistemological area covered by the term digital pedagogy, one can notice that it is rather a pedagogy of digitalization of education or a pedagogy for the digital age than a digital pedagogy.
Digital pedagogy is the part of pedagogy that studies the design, implementation and evaluation of educational situations comprising a significant component of digital technologies, as well as the necessary conditions for their implementation – synchronous and asynchronous interactions in virtual and mixed learning environments, learning management platforms and tools, digital educational resources, educational usage of various digital applications and tools, virtual assistants for learning and teaching, digital competences of teachers, educational policies and specific programs. [6]
In essence, digital pedagogy deals with education – principles and legalities, characteristics, limits – and the specificity of the field is given by the distinctive note that the digital component adds to learning, teaching methods, assessment of learning, learning content, learning conditions, as well as the extent to which it contributes to their efficiency. In situations where a teaching, learning and/or assessment experience supported by digital technologies cannot be transposed into the “analogue environment” without altering its essence (the learning objectives and/or the didactic strategy), then we can speak of innovation exclusive to the field of study of digital pedagogy. [7]
Digital pedagogy values:
The book Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities lists and defines words associated with digital pedagogy. [8]
Digital Pedagogy is not only about using digital technologies for teaching and learning but rather approaching digital tools from a critical pedagogical perspective. So, it is as much about using digital tools thoughtfully as it is about deciding when not to use digital tools, and about paying attention to the impact of digital tools on learning. [8]
Immersive technology can be used in the classroom as a form of digital pedagogy. It provides students with the ability to engage in 3D modelling and collaborative world building. Examples of 3D modelling include Matthew Nicholls' Virtual Rome and SketchUp Pro which allows users to create 3D models of historical structures. [9]
Digital media enables experiments in collaborative learning that would not otherwise be possible, such as Looking for Whitman, which was a collaborative collection of courses among four different institutions in different geographic areas. [10]
Digital pedagogy looks critically at digital tools as potential means for learning and teaching. [11] It considers digital content and space as valuable sites for information and knowledge, in addition to traditional mediums such as books or the classroom. These multimodal forms of learning allow the user to have more freedom in terms of creating meaning making activities. Digital pedagogy itself is also sensitive to the ongoing discussions and debates happening within the sphere of digital humanities, namely to its practices, principles and politics. [11]
The experimental nature of digital pedagogy enables critical reflection on its successes and contradictions in its educative possibilities. As such, it becomes a key foray into the ongoing discussion of educational technology. [12] For example, engagement in the philosophies of digital pedagogy has renewed discussion on the politics and ethics of technology and its implication of learning as a whole. [12]
Acknowledging the changing nature of new media practices and interaction, digital pedagogy centres the student by designing various student-led, collaborative and project-based activities to allow students to control the pace and space of learning. [13] It is within the digital geography where new collaborative, interactive, and participatory possibilities are introduced. Platforms, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), now supplement the physically-located classrooms. [13] New literacy studies is also linked to the study of digital pedagogy. Each countries' political thoughts regarding digital pedagogies vary across the globe. [14] Globalization has also made an impact on teaching and learning. [15]
Based on theories stemming from Critical Race Theory, Feminist Theory, Liberation Theory and other philosophical approaches that address how understanding power structures is essential to the dismantling of oppression, Critical Digital Pedagogy follows the ethics of acknowledging no information, knowledge, learning or teaching is ever neutral of political meaning. Reflective dialogue is a key component of a critical consciousness-raising, a liberatory praxis attributed to Paulo Freire, in learning so that the learning process itself is a praxis of liberation. Critical Digital Pedagogy integrates a second-order, meta-level analysis as part of teaching and learning about or through the use of web-based tools, digital platforms and other forms of technology. As a method or resistance against oppression, Critical Digital Pedagogy seeks to engage individuals in collaborative practices, is inclusive of voices across social-political identities, and situates itself outside boundaries of traditional education, which is considered to be based on a banking model of teaching. [16]
Digital pedagogy for K-12 education follows models such as hybrid or blended learning and online-only classes. The implementation of online-only courses in K-12 education has become more popular as budget cuts make offering higher-level courses such as AP classes less feasible, or if there is not enough student interest to warrant offering the subject. Fully online courses involve a digital teacher who has many digital students with no in-class or face-to-face time. These courses can be facilitated either within a school or made accessible to home-school or abroad students. Many virtual school options receive at least partial funding from state education initiatives and are monitored by state educational committees. Florida Virtual School is funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), and is free to Florida residents. FLVS is governed by a board of trustees appointed by the governor, and its performance is monitored by the Commissioner of Education and reported to the State Board of Education and Legislature. [17]
There is much debate over the efficacy of virtual school options. The consensus on blended education, where students receive face-to-face instruction from teachers and the online portions are only conducted in partial time, is largely positive. Blended learning is credited with allowing students to take some agency with the pace of learning, something that would not otherwise be available to them in a traditional classroom. It allows students to make meaningful decisions about their learning and sets a basis for lifelong self-motivation and learning. [18] The use of new technologies in classrooms also allows students to keep pace with innovations in learning technologies, to expand the pedagogical toolset available to them, such as message-boards and videos, and to have instantaneous feedback and evaluation.
However, in fully online courses, the benefits of online learning are less clear. As reported in one study about online mathematics for grade 8 students, [19] while more advanced students may excel in online courses, the students who need the most help may suffer disproportionately to their peers, when compared to traditional face-to-face courses. [20] It would appear that online-only courses exacerbate difficulties for students with difficulties, while allowing more advanced students the agency desired to excel in individual learning.
Digital technology platforms (DTP) are now being implemented in numerous classrooms in order to facilitate digital learning [21]
Digital pedagogy is also used at the undergraduate level in varying ways, including the use of digital tools for assignments, hybrid or fully online courses, and open/collaborative online learning.
One increasingly common tool in the undergraduate classroom is digital mapping. In digital mapping, students use visual maps made with software like ESRI and ArcGIS to aid their work. Courses are typically interactive, project focused, and designed to for students with varied levels of skills. Cartographic fundamentals are taught to students through a scaffolded curriculum that combines both theory and technical skills. Courses also familiarize students with the practical applications of new technologies such as GPS and kml scripting. [22]
Digital pedagogy allows for flexibility in undergraduate study. Students with long commutes can access, read, and respond to course materials on digital devices such as phones while in transit.
Comparisons of student outcomes between online courses and face-to-face courses suggest that there is a negligible difference between the two formats. Some evidence suggests that this difference, independent of other academic and demographic variables, is as small as 0.07 grade points on a 4-point scale. However, data also indicate that students with higher GPA tend to do better in online courses, while those with lower GPAs perform worse [23]
While most universities in the 21st century use online learning management systems to help teachers communicate with their students, receive assignments, and post grades, some schools are adopting "open pedagogy" platforms that enable students and teachers to work collaboratively on course content and display their work to the public if they wish.
Two examples of open pedagogy platforms are the City University of New York's CUNY Commons and the Open Lab, a similar platform used by the New York City College of Technology. Whereas in a traditional learning management system, the teacher retains all control over the content of the course and student work is only visible to the student and the teacher, the CUNY Commons and the Open Lab enable students to post to the course sites themselves, read each other's work, and visit other classes’ course sites to learn and benefit from course materials without enrolling in the class.
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York has made a commitment to featuring digital initiatives across its educational programs and public programming. Recent initiatives include the MA Program in Digital Humanities, the MA program in Data Analysis and Visualization and the Certificate Program in Interactive Technology and Pedagogy. [24] The CUNY Center for Digital Scholarship and Data Visualization is forthcoming in the spring of 2020.
According to research published in the Journal of Interactive Technology & Pedagogy, , the number of graduate programs in digital pedagogy and related fields has steadily increased since 2008, especially in Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States. [25]
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).
Educational software is a term used for any computer software that is made for an educational purpose. It encompasses different ranges from language learning software to classroom management software to reference software. The purpose of all this software is to make some part of education more effective and efficient.
Pedagogy, most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken as an academic discipline, is the study of how knowledge and skills are imparted in an educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place during learning. Both the theory and practice of pedagogy vary greatly as they reflect different social, political, and cultural contexts.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Digital rhetoric is communication that exists in the digital sphere. It can be expressed in many different forms, including text, images, videos, and software. Due to the increasingly mediated nature of contemporary society, distinctions between digital and non-digital environments are less clear. This has expanded the scope of digital rhetoric to account for the increased fluidity with which humans interact with technology.
Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is a pedagogical approach wherein learning takes place via social interaction using a computer or through the Internet. This kind of learning is characterized by the sharing and construction of knowledge among participants using technology as their primary means of communication or as a common resource. CSCL can be implemented in online and classroom learning environments and can take place synchronously or asynchronously.
Synchronous conferencing or synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) is any form of computer-mediated communication that occurs in real-time; that is, there is no significant delay between sending and receiving messages. SCMC includes real-time forms of text, audio, and video communication. SCMC has been highly studied in the context of e-learning.
The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) was established on March 1, 1999, under the Provost Office at Columbia University. The mission of the Center was to enhance teaching and learning through the purposeful use of technology and new media. CCNMTL staff worked closely with faculty partners to provide support ranging from the construction of course websites to the development of elaborate custom-made projects. CCNMTL used the design research methodology, an iterative cycle of discovery, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. CCNMTL was part of Columbia's Information Services Division, which included the Columbia University Library System.
Open education is an educational movement founded on openness, with connections to other educational movements such as critical pedagogy, and with an educational stance which favours widening participation and inclusiveness in society. Open education broadens access to the learning and training traditionally offered through formal education systems and is typically offered through online and distance education. The qualifier "open" refers to the elimination of barriers that can preclude both opportunities and recognition for participation in institution-based learning. One aspect of openness or "opening up" education is the development and adoption of open educational resources in support of open educational practices.
Online tutoring is the process of tutoring in an online, virtual, or networked, environment, in which teachers and learners participate from separate physical locations. Aside from space, participants can also be separated by time.
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.
The CUNY Academic Commons is an online, academic social network for community members of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Designed to foster conversation, collaboration, and connections among the 24 individual colleges that make up the university system, the site, founded in 2009, has quickly grown as a hub for the CUNY community, serving in the process to strengthen a growing group of digital scholars, teachers, and open-source projects at the university.
Digital learning is learning that is supported by technology. It encompasses any type of learning that is accompanied by technology or by instructional practice that makes effective use of technology. It includes a wide array of practices, including blended and virtual learning.
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.
Virtual exchange is an instructional approach or practice for language learning. It broadly refers to the "notion of 'connecting' language learners in pedagogically structured interaction and collaboration" through computer-mediated communication for the purpose of improving their language skills, intercultural communicative competence, and digital literacies. Although it proliferated with the advance of the internet and Web 2.0 technologies in the 1990s, its roots can be traced to learning networks pioneered by Célestin Freinet in 1920s and, according to Dooly, even earlier in Jardine's work with collaborative writing at the University of Glasgow at the end of the 17th to the early 18th century.
Digital media in education refers to an individual's ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content and communication in various forms. 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.
