WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE IN A DIGITAL AGE

Julie Tucker-Leaton
Oklahoma State University
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WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE IN A DIGITAL AGE

Introduction

Knowledge is seen as “an objective that is attainable through reasoning or experiences”

(Siemens, 2005, p. 2). Learning, being more subjective, means different things to different

people. However, to a Constructivist, learning doesn’t happen as much as the learner attempts to

find meaning in his/her experiences (Siemens, 2005). The experiences of today’s learners are

different from the experiences of past learners. Before, learners gained experiences mainly

through reading books and through the expertise of the instructor. With modern technology,

students today have most of the world’s knowledge at their fingertips. The role of the instructor

is no longer the all- knowing expert on the subject, but rather a coordinator and a facilitator. This

paper will discuss what learning looks like in a digital age means to students, teachers,

administrators, and on a global scale.

Student Perspective

As someone who participated as a post high school learner both before and during the

digital age, I witnessed the method of instruction change from traditional instruction to a digital

approach. When I first attended college in the early 1990’s, the professor was all-knowing and

the only way to get information was through the textbook. If I had trouble understanding

something, I waited until the professor’s office hours or spent hours researching in the library.

Starting my master’s degree program twenty years after getting my bachelor’s degree is a

learning experience. Almost all my graduate classes are taught in a Connectivist approach

(Siemens, 2005). The courses have more discussion than lecture. Students read the material and

then discuss it to get various points of view. Students also use computers to complete

assignments whether the class is online or not. In class, if someone has a question, students refer

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to the internet to find the answer. The presentation method has changed, also. Since beginning

the Educational Technology program, all my classes have been online. I use my computer

anywhere in the world, access the class material, do my homework, and participate in the

discussions. Due to my professors using open source material and websites, I also bought fewer

books than I have anticipated. This follows the premise of Chaos theory, in which the professor

gives us complicated material and, through discussion, students find patterns and meaning

(Siemens, 2005). As a learner, this change was, at first, uncomfortable. I wanted to know the

right answer. Using Brightspace to do the assignments confused me. Through the process, I

began to like this method. Instead of spending hours memorizing facts, I take the information I

am learning and using it to create in several different ways. It is not unusual for me to pull a

research article from one of my other courses and use it to make a point in my current class. For

me this type of learning is more fluid with more opportunities to share my ideas instead of

regurgitating facts.

Although this method of digital instruction is effective for students, there are limitations.

First, students must be self- disciplined. Because of the flexibility, it is easy to rush a last-minute

assignment, resulting in less learning. Second, the student may not always have access to the

internet or technology. If a student cannot afford a good enough computer to do the work or

lacks internet at home, online classes, and college could be out of reach. Finally, another

limitation to online learning is limited amount of personal networking. Network theory, in which

people or groups form a connection, is a major part of Connectivism (Siemens, 2005). Because

we never meet face to face, I do not feel as connected to any of my classmates nor my professor

as I did when I met in a classroom setting.

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Teacher’s Perspective

As a twenty-three-year veteran teacher, I my role has change over the years. My first-year

teaching, my classroom materials consisted of a book, a workbook, and a chalkboard. I was

excited when I was able to get a grant for a VHS player and a cassette player, so I could show

videos and do listening activities with my students. To teach, I lectured and then my students

would practice in the workbook. Projects were difficult because of the time and cost of creating

and producing the materials needed without a computer. Teachers bought new material (with

their own money) from catalogues and hope they were useful. Today, my textbook and materials

are online. I have a desktop computer, a Chromebook, an iPad, a Smartboard, and a projector in

my classroom. Each of my students also has their own Chromebook to use during instruction. To

find an activity, I can use networks from around the world that I have built over the years. My

classes follow the Competency based model, in which my students have a list of skills they are

required to master to be successful in each unit (Johnstone & Soares, 2014). I am longer an

“expert,” but rather as a facilitator to help my students get the knowledge and materials they

need. I regularly use apps, presentation tools and games in my classroom to practice the

materials with my students. This helps my students internalize the material in a way that a

worksheet never did.

There are limitations to teaching this way. Many teachers in my school are still teaching

using the traditional read the book and do the workbook instead of using the Chromebooks.

Students tell me that I am the only one of their teachers that use the Chromebooks to research or

look for information. Most just use it to access the textbook. One possible reason for this

resistance is due to frustration. Charles Buageng-Andoh (2012) reports that the main reasons for

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teachers resisting technology integration is lack of support, lack of appropriate infrastructure, and

lack of hardware and software. As a teacher, it is extremely frustrating to create an intriguing

activity for students to do and have the internet crash and be unable to do it. A final limitation is

that not all students have access to internet after school. Because I teach in a low-income school,

I must give my students time in class to work on an assignment if it is online because they may

not be able to do it at home. This limits innovative ideas, such as the flipped classroom because

many students would not have access to the material (Bates, 2015).

Administration’s Perspective

The integration of digital learning gives administrators more control of what learning is

happening in the classroom. Before digital learning, administration knew what book was used in

the classroom. They knew the teacher’s action the classroom only through observation. Now,

administrators pull up students’ work on their computer, look at the activities they are doing and

observe if the teacher is on track in their teaching. In my school, in addition, each department has

a series of quizzes each teacher is required to give to their students. Teachers then place the

results of the tests in a spreadsheet that is shared with each teacher and with the administration.

This makes the teacher accountable to making sure the material is being covered. This level of

networking collective information did not exist before the expansion of technology (Siemens,

2005).

Although this connectiveness is good, there are limitations. First, the information

available to an administrator may cause them to micromanage classrooms. Another potential

problem is with administrators not understanding the limits of learning digitally. Many

administrators view digital learning as needing less interaction with the teacher. As a result,

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classes sizes grow, and teachers are expected to spend less time with their students. Without the

interaction, students’ learning will drop and classrooms become overcrowded (Bates, 2015).

Administrators also resist the integration of technology due to the cost of using it, not being

technological proficient, or not wanting to give adequate professional development to integrate

the technology (Buabeng-Andoh, 2012).

Global Perspective

From a global perspective, digital learning means more sharing of knowledge. With

social media sites, students in the U.S. can share information and interact with students from

around the world. As a result, the amount of knowledge being created is growing exponentially.

According to one study, the world has doubled the amount of knowledge in the past

decade(Siemens, 2005).

There are two main downsides of this growth in knowledge. First is the risk of false

knowledge being spread. This attack by “trolls” derail digital learning environments resulting in

less learning (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). The second potential downside is lack of ability to

network in a digital learning environment. Countries, such as Iran, that limit the amount of

information that gets into their country, create an environment where the population must sneak

get the information or just not receive the knowledge (“Nintendo Iran Club: The community

fighting for recognition in Iran,” n.d.). This disconnect leads to discrepancies in knowledge flow

and wealth.

Conclusion

Whether students, teachers, and administrators are ready or not, digital education is here

and the use of technology in the classroom will continue to grow. The flow of knowledge is open
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to all that can access it. People can use this method to learn at any time in their life, where ever

they are, and at their own pace. Students gain perspective from all over the world, not just in

their community. Students are no longer required to simply read the chapter and answer

questions. Instead, teachers facilitate discussions so that students can create their own meaning to

the data. Although there are challenges on every level for digital learning, many problems will

work out as the integration continues. First, as school more fully integrate digital learning,

teachers and administrators will become more educated on using the technology. As a result,

resisters to technology integration will either learn the concepts and integrate, or they will leave

the profession (Buabeng-Andoh, 2012). This will make schools stronger, more academically

rigorous, more global on the way they teach the material. To me, digital learning is what I have

been striving to do my entire career and I am excited to see where this journey takes me.

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Resources

Bates, A. W. (Tony). (2015). Teaching in a Digital Age. Tony Bates Associates LTD.

Buabeng-Andoh, C. (2012). Factors influencing teachers’ adoption and integration of

information and communication technology into teaching: A review of the literature.

International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and

Communication Technology, 8(1), 136.

Johnstone, S., & Soares, L. (2014). Principles for Developing Competency-Based Education

Programs. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 42(2), 12–19.

Nintendo Iran Club: The community fighting for recognition in Iran. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7,

2018, from https://mashable.com/2017/08/20/nintendo-iran-club/#lrgMl2Zq6iq2

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of

Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, 2(1).

Tschofen, C., & Mackness, J. (2012). Connectivism and dimensions of individual experience.

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 124–143.