Page 42 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education
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Pedro Tadeu and Carlos Brigas
of which have yet to be invented, are largely driven by technological advance-
ments, particularly in AI, data science, and digital transformation (Bursali &
Yilmaz, 19; Dong et al., ). The evolving industries demand a workforce
well-versed in technologies and adaptable to future innovations. Therefore,
today's students must be well-prepared to face these challenges. They must
have a robust foundation in STEM and skills such as critical thinking, creativ-
ity, and adaptability (Chang & Lu, 19). Furthermore, they must be lifelong
learners, something that the latest generations have done, always ready to
continually update their knowledge and skills in response to the ever-chang-
ing technological landscape (Bergamin & Hirt, 18). Educators, policymak-
ers, and industry leaders must work together to ensure that our education
systems are effectively preparing students for the jobs of the future, many of
which remain unknown to us today (Reiss, 1; Tuomi, 18).
Opportunities and Challenges in Digital Education
Despite its huge potential, Digital Education also presents several challenges.
One of the most important is the infrastructure that institutions have. The
pandemic highlighted the difficulties that most have in supporting platform
access when many students simultaneously need to connect.
On the other hand, while students are growing interested in exploring
deeper Digital Education with all these new tools (AI is just one example),
the unprecedented experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a
renewed appreciation for face-to-face teaching. The rapid change to remote
learning during the pandemic revealed simultaneously the potential and
the continuing challenges of online education. While technology facilitated
continuity in education during school closures, many students faced issues
related to a lack of access, motivation, and face-to-face interaction (Wang et
al., ). Research indicates that most students miss the social aspects of
face-to-face learning, which play a crucial role in their academic experience
and overall well-being (Johnson et al., ). Furthermore, the effectiveness
of online learning varies among students, with some benefiting from its flex-
ibility while others struggle without the structure of a traditional classroom
(Schwartzman, ).
So, we are witnessing a world of changes and evolution that is far from
well established right now. Having this in mind, we present some ideas for
the future of Digital Education in the form of opportunities and challenges
congregated from several studies done in the last years:
Digital Divide – The digital divide is about access to technology and the
ability to use it effectively. Gabriel et al. (3) mention that teachers who are
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