Learning in the Digital Age

Digital technology makes it simpler for both individuals and organizations to make learning regular in their lives. Digital learning can happen in and outside of school, in the workplace, on social media as well as through self-directed learning and exploration. But how we create and implement these new socio-technical environments is a complex decision that has profound implications for the development of attitudes about learning that will determine the way people think about it throughout their lives.

The digital age has opened up access to information, and allowed an improved approach to education. Students can explore a variety of educational resources through online resources and adaptive technologies permit learners to move at their own pace and address gaps in understanding and presenting challenges to advanced learners. This flexibility is a crucial element of the connectivism learning theory that emphasizes collaborative inquiry-based learning, facilitated by digital platforms and tools.

These new possibilities raise questions about who’s learning, what’s being taught, and in what way. Digital learning may bring about new issues, such as security privacy of data and the potential for excessive screen time, which can cause digital fatigue and negatively affect physical health.

Digital learning is driving an increase in alternative models for education, skills and signaling in global labor markets. From bootcamps to digital badges, and from microcredentials to learning and employment records (LERs) Many public, private and non-profit institutions are exploring new methods of delivering education and training.

https://lifelongdigital.org/2021/03/22/arrived-this-year-at-last-long-arrived-digital-technologies