Education 2.0 & 3.0

Understanding digital transformation across the cultural heritage sector
Last week we invited our networks to take part in a special series of Europeana workshops on ‘Digital Transformation in the time of COVID-19’. In this post, we share other aspects of our ongoing efforts to understand, identify and shape a capacity building framework that meets the needs of the cultural heritage sector. In particular, how we are working with Culture24 to develop a shared understanding of what is happening in our sector to support digital capacity and what terms like ‘digital transformation’ mean in practice for GLAM institutions.

Amid talk of pandemics and economics, it may seem like a comparatively minor discussion to have: the difference between remote learning and online learning. 

But, with COVID-19 forcing schools around the nation to move their classrooms online and more and more scrutiny leveled at the sustainability of doing so, it’s a conversation that education experts increasingly insist should happen. Making the distinction, some say, could shape the future of online learning for years to come. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically upended traditional schooling and made remote learning the “new normal.” Teachers are scrambling to offer some form of continuing education using virtual technologies, with the recognition that traditional approaches to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and grading must be altered. While it might be more expedient to present online lessons, electronic worksheets, and resource packets, we propose that the learn-at-home circumstance offers an opportunity to present students with more engaging and meaningful learning experiences. More specifically, we recommend providing students with assignments and tasks that challenge them to find information from various sources, critically appraise what they find, and use what they learn to address interesting issues and genuine problems.

I''m currently writing several short online courses for educators, and I've just published the second module in my online series about digital learning. It focuses on digital competencies and literacies and takes under an hour to complete.

I've written about digital literacies in previous publications, because I consider them vital for the success of any technology supported learning ventures. I believe that unless we develop appropriate digital literacies, we will be less able to exploit the power and unlock the potential of new and emerging technologies in education.

Here are a few links to previous posts:

What digital literacies?
Crossing the divide: Transliteracy
Digital literacies in the age of remix
Digital readiness