Learning in the Digital Age

Digital technology makes it simpler for individuals and businesses to make learning an everyday part of their lives. Digital learning can occur in and outside of schools, at the workplace, via social digital life sciences the long awaited digital innovations networks as well as through self-directed learning and exploration. However, how we develop and implement these revolutionary socio-technical environments is a complex choice with profound implications for the development of mindsets about learning that will shape how people perceive it throughout their lives.

The digital age has opened up access to information and facilitated a more personalized approach to education. Online resources let students explore a vast array of educational resources. The use of adaptive technology allows them to progress according to the pace that best suits them, filling in any gaps in their understanding and providing challenges for more advanced learners. This flexibility is a major element of the theory of learning of connectivism, which focuses on collaborative, inquiry-based learning facilitated by digital tools and platforms.

However, these new possibilities raise important questions regarding what is being learned and how it is learned and who is actually doing the learning. Digital learning may bring about new challenges, such as cybersecurity privacy of data and the possibility of over screen-time, which can lead to digital fatigue and negatively affect physical health.

Digital learning is a driving force behind the development of alternative models in education, skills, and signaling on global labor markets. From bootcamps to digital badges and from microcredentials to records of learning and employment (LERs) Many private, public and non-profit institutions are experimenting with new methods of delivering education and training.