Digital learning

Digital learning

Abstract

Due to the fast development of internet technology, learning institutions globally are financing digital learning systems to supplement their convectional teaching, offer distance learning, and to enrich their learners’ education experience and performance. This article examines good practices in digital learning. It purposes to explore the best practices offered in existing literature, and also to identify problems in usage and feasible solutions. Thus, an organized literature review is conducted.

Consequently, apart from identifying good practices, difficulties in implementation are listed as well. It was studied that such problems revolve around methodologies of the instructors’ digital skills and the usage of collaborative learning tools. As such, the study proposes continuous instructors improvement curricula and the development of digital learning standards informed by effective practices identified in the literature, aiming to improve digital learning experiences.

Introduction

Digital learning is now considered an essential component in learning institutions, especially in higher learning institutions. Virtual learning platforms and tools are now widely used in learning institutions as a tool for teaching and learning (^{DAHLSTROM; BROOKS; BICHSEL, 2014}). According to (), although the tools are used daily, there are limitations of teaching facilitation, time management challenges, and inadequate technological skills that continue to challenge to educators in institutions of higher learning.

Learners and instructors value digital learning environments, but only the essential tools, such as search functionality provided by the platform, are utilized extensively. There is low utilization of the different collaboration and interaction tools provided on digital learning platforms (). Researches by ^{Dahlstrom, Brookse, and Bichsel (2014}) () argue there is a need for better proposals to enhance the usage of the digital learning platforms, to facilitate practical usage of some processes. As a result, new studies recommending better digital teaching and learning practices are emerging. These studies are progressively being implemented and will result in good practices on the use of digital tools for learning and teaching.

The phrase “best or good practices” is linked with the execution of certain activities efficiently (^{GATTORNA, 1998}), continuously identifying the best way to execute a particular job. Good practice in design refers to the practice of developing and adhering to an accepted system of doing things. Apo (2209) stresses that such methods are adaptable and are founded on continuous learning and improvement. In the learning context, there are several studies associated with good practices. (1987) identify seven standards of best practices in higher learning (^{CHICKERING; GAMSON, 1987}). Recently, with the introduction of information technology tools in higher education, ^{Salmon (2000}) identifies the five phases of learners’ induction on digital teaching and learning environments.

In the digital learning context, (^{Lopez and Eldridge (2010}) underscore the shortage of information identifying structures, criteria for proper implementation, and teaching of good practices for the development of knowledge. As a result, and necessitated by the need for effective and efficient utilization of digital learning resources and tools, this literature review seeks to answer the question: How good practices in digital learning promote better teaching and learning in higher education institutions?

Good Practices in Education and Digital Learning

There is an understanding that teaching and learning are complicated and usually variable practices because they incorporate dynamic intellectual systems. () attempted to develop better teaching standards; ^{Chickering and Gamson (1987}) identifying seven practices in their study targeted at refining how knowledge is disseminated, not teaching content. The standards are used as guides for both learners and teachers.  (^{CHICKERING; GAMSON, 1987}; ^{SANTOS, 2001}):

According to (Chickering), the following standards should be implemented in teaching and learning:

Fostering interaction between learners and teachers by encouraging more participation of the learner through events, and nurturing unlimited collaboration between learner and instructor;

Increase information exchange and teamwork between students by using activities that require collaboration in groups and teams, discouraging competition at the personal level;

Incorporate active learning practices by performing dynamic activities using real-life cases and applied uses;

Ensure there is prompt feedback by providing sufficient and regular feedback on learners performance, pinpointing what they have learned and identifying what they need to learn in their studies;

Underscore the need for time on task management by teaching learners how they can effectively manage their time by minimizing time wasted on non-productive or irrelevant processes;

Demand for high expectations by creating a challenging classroom environment, resulting in better learning outcomes, improved class attendance rates, and more personal responsibility;

Appreciate different talents and learning habits by continually innovating on teaching approaches taking care of different styles of learning, and encouraging learners to advance their knowledge.

For different reasons, best practices are implemented in various ways in higher learning and applied depending on the objectives of each learning phase (^{Chickering and Gamson (1987}). As a result, it is crucial to enhance these methods continually, because the process of learning is continuous and dynamic, and is progressively changing due to the universality of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In the current knowledge society, knowledge is distributed, transformed, and developed through ICT, making its usage necessary, and changes in the learning institutions context intended to meet such needs. Therefore, innovative teaching methods that support aspects linked to learning and digital literacy are crucial (^{UNESCO [unesco], 2013}).

One course of action undertaken by learning institutions is the utilization of digital education platforms as additional tools for the learning and teaching process. Such devices provide the convergence of learning through various technologies and encourage better interaction between the learner and study object or subject. To make this process more efficient, ^{Salmon (2000}) points out the importance of student orientation in the use of such tools. In this setup, Salmon (2000) expounded some phases aimed at providing support in the facilitation of the teaching and learning method in digital platforms. These steps are activated as learners gain better skills in learning and collaborating, and promote more significant interaction in the digital learning space.

The stages in digital learning created by (^{Salmon (2000}) focus on:

Accessing the digital learning system and motivating the learner including various ways of accessing the system, and the methods teachers can use to drive the learners;

Online socialization; the multiple resources and approaches that can be used to encourage online socialization processes;

Sharing of information by providing orientation on how data can be exchanged, and how to interact with other users through digital tools;

Knowledge construction by offering lessons on how to build knowledge online;

Development through discussions as well as developing strategies to inspire learners to exchange knowledge on the digital learning platforms.

From the study of various kinds of literature, there is a need to study teaching and to learn in a virtual environment. It is vital to deliver numerous tracks for the learners to develop their learning pathways. Therefore, there is a need for continuous innovation in digital learning platforms and their usage in education.

It is possible to distinguish different good practices used in digital learning as policies for improving teaching and learning by learning institutions. These methods comprise of numerous concepts, but with related goals for more effectiveness and efficiency in utilizing digital learning platform for facilitating the teaching and learning process.

^{According to (Pavey and Garland (2004}), there is a need to analyze and promote better interaction between learners and study subjects using different digital learning tools. The use of teaching questionnaires, interactive content, animations, and videos on digital learning platforms, motivates learners to interact more with their study subject (Thus, Pavey and Garland (2004). Also, before and thorough planning of learning activities is critical to facilitate an effective and efficient communication process (^{PAVEY; GARLAND, 2004}).

In their studies^{, Laflen and Smith (2017}) identify several good practices for digital learning: peer assessment activities, allocation of feedback time, and individual online meetings. When feedback is provided together with the score, most learners read the input, however, when feedback is provided separately from the score, few learners bother with the feedback (^{Laflen and Smith (2017)}. According to ^{Chickering and Gamson (1987}), learners are more inclined to communicate in person, and they noted that online discussions and questions need to be structured in a better way to encourage interaction and collaboration on digital learning platforms (^{LAI; SAVAGE, 2013}).

According to ^{Lai and Savage (2013)}, prompt online feedback is more effective than waiting for in-person feedback from the teacher. () propose that teachers should indicate the time allocated to perform different tasks using the digital learning platform, and provide learning materials mixed media to encourage diverse learning methods. Therefore, the need for researching the usage of digital learning tools in the academic setting is highlighted.

Digital teaching and learning improve the productivity of both learners and instructors while entrenching the values of education good practices. However, ^{Robb and Fisher (2015)} contend that teachers with inadequate skills, digital educational tools affect the quality of digital learning. Digital learning platforms’ resources are broadly categorized into activities, assessment, and communication tools. Diverse forms of knowledge are supported by the different activity tools provided. Besides, assessment tools offer immediate feedback, while collaboration is encouraged by the various communication tools provided (^{ROBB; FISHER, 2015}).

Therefore, teaching and learning using digital educational tools demand for well-organized time management, and better administrative skills of teachers. Utilization of the different tools available on digital learning platforms i.e., activities, evaluation, and collaboration, nurture best learning practices and promote better usage of Information Communication Technology in the classroom (^{ROBB; FISHER, 2015}).

According to ^{Power and Kannara (2016}), continuously revising and redevelopment of classes through Information Communication Technology affects innovation in learning institutions. In their study, conclude that digital learning tools and collaborative resources are not used effectively by the instructors, negatively affecting the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, teaching institutions must have a structured method of updating their digital learning content and integrate more active learning activities in their digital learning curriculum.

Conclusion

This paper provided an organized literature review on best practices in digital learning. Through a comprehensive review of selected documents, the report offered good methods applied to digital learning, highlighted the setting in which they were utilized and evaluated how they facilitate the teaching and learning process. Further, the literature review highlighted a few challenges encountered by higher learning institutions in using digital learning tools and good practices that can be used to overcome the difficulties.

Besides the impact and outcomes of the good practices presented, there are some obstacles to digital learning implementation, for example, the inadequate teacher training and lack of a standardized model with the integration of these best practices. The existence of a considerable gap in information communication technology skills is highlighted as well. Lack of or poor ICT skills is a problem that can considerably affect the mediation process in digital learning, and better knowledge of the approach of managing such skills is necessary.

Another challenge is linked to the lack of a standard prototype, a model for the application of best practices. This subject happens to be of great significance, since the convergence of good practices in the digital learning platform enriches the teaching and learning process, providing for more significant interaction with study subject. Therefore, founded on these challenges and attempts to offer possible answers found in the literature, there is a need to create a model based on best practices.

From the literature review, it can be concluded that research on education good practices are not entirely new. Because of the continuous growth and usage of Information Communications Technology in the educational sector, there is a need for more research on how to optimize digital learning. This theory is stressed because the learner, through the digital learning tools and resources, becomes more independent and self-reliant in the teaching and learning process.