With the onset of digital technologies many of our old methods of learning and working are being replaced. This is happening both outside and within the classroom. It is obvious that a brand new learning model is required to be developed. How can this be accomplished? It’s not just about the creation of digital infrastructures to support learning, but it will also have to tackle the most fundamental questions of what education and learning is for in the near future.
This article focuses on how to make learning a part of the modern age, drawing upon the contributions of researchers and teachers from all over the globe. It is written for learners (including parents and students) educators design, curriculum developers as well as technology experts researchers in learning sciences, and the decision-makers.
There are a myriad of opinions on what education in the digital age should be. However there is a common consensus that we should support the co-evolution of learning and modern communication technology. This means looking at new opportunities for radical different conceptions of education and for the establishment of innovative methods that can be supported by modern communication technology.
One of the major challenges is that the majority of current applications of new technologies in learning are a type of “gift wrapping” (Fischer, 1998). These technologies are integrated into existing frameworks, such as instructionism and fixed curriculum. They are also used as a supplement to uncontextualized, also known as decontextualized, learning. Many comparative studies employ an actual classroom setting as a base. This restricts the scope of study to tasks and functions that are only accessible digitally.