Digital Learning is a 'Way of Learning'

In my article 'Transformative Digitalization ', I said that the reason why I would rather use the phrase 'transformative digitalization' instead of 'digital transformation' is because the latter phrase tends to make people focus more on the word 'digital'. They then think that it's about technology, computers, or automation. The focus should be more on the 'transformation' rather than on the 'digital'.

In much the same way, 'digital learning' makes people think that it's about the automation of learning or the application of technology to transform the learning process. Yes, in a way it is, but we need to understand digital learning beyond the context of computers and technology. Digital learning is a 'way of learning'.

It is a ‘way’ of learning as opposed to a ‘type’ of learning. Learning is a never-ending process, and it should be incorporated and embedded into the course of one’s daily routines. Digital learning then is more interested in making the learning process not confined to the four walls of a classroom by providing new ‘ways’ for learners to continuously access and progress in their learning goals.

It also does not restrict itself to purely electronic means. Rather, the technology aspect of digital learning is used to make learning happen within an electronic to non-electronic continuum and without the learner noticing the change in environment and medium. This is the essence of ‘blended learning’, a concept that extends the classroom beyond its walls and makes the teacher and the students continuously conversing both offline and online, both physical and virtual, both technology-based and non-technology based.?

This concept then of a learning continuum becomes digital learning’s strength. This is because this digital learning continuum supports ‘spread-out’ learning, a way of learning that research shows is one of the best ways to learn. According to research entitled "Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology", ‘distributed practice’, i.e., spreading out learning by breaking up learning into shorter sessions spread out over time is the best way to learn anything. Unfortunately, this learning method which the study shows may be the very best, is not taught to teachers and students alike. One of the study’s authors, John Dunlosy, commented that

“These strategies are largely overlooked in the educational psychology textbooks that beginning teachers read, so they don't get a good introduction to them or how to use them while teaching."

We need to appreciate and acknowledge that the 21st century learner is now faced with a very different learning environment that has largely been shaped by technology in the last few decades. Social, Mobile, and Cloud have drastically changed the world of our teachers and learners today.

Check out how teachers in Singapore are reacting to this change in the video below:

The proliferation of social platforms has created new avenues of collaborative learning. Resources made accessible through various gadgets, devices, and the mobile apps that come with them have made learning quite mobile. Cloud-based services within an on-demand infrastructure have all but ensured that learning can now be done anytime and anywhere.

At The Davidic Growth Paradigm, we approach digital learning from the context of transformative digitalization. By applying the same framework, we help educational institutions to transform their businesses to address the needs of 21st century learners.

If you are a school and want to dive into the possibilities of digital transformation for your business but don't know where to start, feel free to chat me up here on LinkedIn or better still schedule a more extensive conversation through an online call. Check out my calendar to find a schedule that fits your availability at https://calendly.com/boogieboydon/dgp

*Cover image by Prashant Sharma from Pixabay .

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