Digital Education: Theory, Method and Practice

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid developments in technology and the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in higher education demand fundamental reconsiderations for the instructional design of educational practices. Design for learning in a digital era requires not only systematic principles but also approaches that foster the interaction of learners with peers, with teachers and with the outside world, enhanced by technology-rich contexts. Additionally, the technologies need to be carefully integrated in the design of student-centered activities as part of the learning environment to foster knowledge construction through social collaboration and competencies development while promoting self-directed learning. These are essential aspects in the formation of the professionals of the new age.

Rethinking the implications of digital technologies and their applications in higher education brings about opportunities to innovate education. Digital tools provide solutions for the flexibilization in education provision and materials development. Likewise, these can also support higher universities’ ambitions to increase students’ mobility, enrich lifelong learning experiences and provide diversity in interdisciplinary education according to learners’ profiles. Despite the positive venues that digital education offers, there is still a considerable gap between the effects of emerging technologies in students’ learning. However, it is of paramount importance to learn how educational theories and practices can be better applied in the design of digital education to meet the challenges of educational practitioners.

The aim of the Special Issue on Digital Education: Theory, Method and Practice is to provide both evidence-based research results on theories, methods and practices in digital education and provide examples of digital educational practices that enhance students’ learning in a digital era.

• Rethinking pedagogy for a Digital Age: theories, approaches and methods to align with digital learners’ needs.
• Learner engagement practices: designing active learning to motivate students.
• Designing learning: complex learning environments with the use of technology in education, i.e., lifelong learning; online, blended and hybrid education, etc.  
• Development of high-order skills and competencies with technology-enhanced methods and approaches.
• Enhancing informal digital learning to reach all types of learners.
• Innovations in digital technology: teaching and learning methods, assessment practices, and students’ guidance.
• Challenging the teachers: professionalization of teachers in digital competences.
• Digitalization of the disciplinary content: materials development, tools, resources and systems, etc.
• The challenges and impact of new technologies in education: artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, etc.

Dr. Sonia M. Gómez Puente
Guest Editor

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