Innovation and education in the digital age: reconciling the roles of pedagogy, technology, and the business of learning

Abstract

Terms such as "digital divide," normally understood to mean the gap in access between technologically disenfranchised populations and the information elite, take on a different resonance when the focus of university faculty, administrators, and an increasing number of potential students is on how education is to be conducted. This paper discusses the pedagogical, technological, and business trends that together affect the direction of innovation in virtual education. A discussion is presented on how traditional higher education (campus-based, lecture-bound, and faculty-driven) can benefit from the explosion of opportunities born of technological innovation and development by adopting changes in operational models-both administrative and pedagogical. Also addressed are the scope of services that comprise the engagement of information technology in academic environments necessary to fulfill evolving charters and missions that respond to current trends and future demands of educational innovations in the digital age where education and business-in their operational models and management styles-are moving toward complementary, even comparable strategies.

Trends in Digital Pedagogies: Implications for South African Universities Expanding through Hybrid Online Education

“…Digitally-based teaching and learning thus acknowledge the manner in which digital natives work, socialise and learn within a digital world. Frieman and Deek (2003) identify the following benefits of hybrid learning for students: faster and more flexible access to information; faster registration and course enrolment; faster turnaround of assignments, enabling faster remedial activity for learning; improving ability to submit assignments from anywhere -geography is not a barrier; increased interaction with lecturer and fellow-students; more time to reflect on learning difficulties during interactions; diminished time barriers for communication; more supportive student-centred learning; and reduced barriers of remoteness. These findings are supported by Starr-Glass's (2013) study, namely that hybrid learning provides greater social and cognitive connection between peers, lowers transactional distance, enhances student motivation and satisfaction, deepens a sense of community and offers an environment for effective communities of inquiry.…”

“…The DHET (2013) comments in this regard that if digital teaching and learning is not carefully planned and underpinned by sound educational theory it will be used only as a gimmick (see section 2 for the same argument). Frieman and Deek (2003) maintain that one of the biggest challenges for universities will be acquiring and using resources to operate both physical and online programmes simultaneously, especially if students who take these courses represent different markets. Training lecturers to teach effectively in both environments, maintaining dedicated equipment and ensuring adequate technical support is timeconsuming and expensive.…”

“…Studies (Ashton & Newman 2006;Renes & Strange, 2011;Vogel 2010) have shown that lecturers often lack the required skills and knowledge for effective digital teaching. Attwell and Hughes (2010), as well as Arbaugh (2000, in Frieman & Deek, 2003 highlight the need for lecturers to stay current in their skills to integrate advances in technology into their virtual classrooms, together with the challenge for lecturers to create methods to develop modules/courses that meet the needs of both the subject matter and the medium. To build digital literacy among lecturers, group workshops and demonstrations in digital tools is crucial (Damoese, 2003;Enochsson & Rizza, 2009;Vogel, 2010).…”

Design of Simulated Software for Analysis and Studies of Computer organization

“…Sustainable E-learning plays an important role in all cultures of blended learning. E-learning substantially improves and expands the learning opportunities for students [2]. The moderncomputer information technologies, which are widely used both at educational programs for conducting of effective lecture, conducted scientific researches, and forming of practical and laboratory works with the students of technical and computer-based specialdisciplines [3].…”

Computer-Based Instruction on Multimedia Networking Fundamentals: Equational Versus Graphical Representation

“…The ubiquitous availability of multimedia computing on classroom and home computers has resulted in considerable interest in including multimedia instruction and learning into the electrical and computer engineering curricula [3]- [5]. The simple usage of computers, however, does not necessarily result in better education [6].…”