Digital Pedagogy - how is it useful to me, the teacher?

What is Digital Pedagogy?

Digital pedagogy focuses specifically on the use of technology to break down learning barriers and enhance students’ learning experiences. (American Library Association, 2017)

Digital pedagogy is the investigation and use of modern digital technologies in teaching and learning, deciding:

Whether a digital tool or not should be used within a lesson
The type of digital resource would be most effective
How the digital resource would be meaningfully integrated into the lessons

Digital pedagogy may be used and applied to any digital form of teaching and learning where digital resources are integrated into lessons, for example: face-to-face, online and hybrid learning environments.

Digital pedagogy also has roots in the theory of constructivism and constructionism.

Why Digital Pedagogy Matters for My Lesson Planning?

Imagine a toolbox filled with a variety of tools, each designed for a specific purpose.

Digital pedagogy is like that toolbox, offering a diverse range of strategies and tools to enrich your teaching. By incorporating digital pedagogy into your lesson planning, you can:

Boost Engagement: Capture your learners' attention with interactive presentations, simulations, educational games, and collaborative online projects.
Personalise Learning: Use digital tools to differentiate instruction, catering to individual learner needs and learning styles.
Foster Collaboration: Create a vibrant learning community where learners can collaborate, share ideas, and provide feedback to one another.
Expand Learning Beyond the Classroom: Extend learning opportunities with online resources, virtual field trips, and global connections.
Prepare learners for the Future: Equip learners with essential digital literacy skills they'll need in their academic and professional lives.

How does Digital Pedagogy Align with Existing Teaching Theories?

Constructivism, founded by Jean Piaget: Learners actively build knowledge through experiences. Digital tools offer platforms for exploration, experimentation, and creation.
- Constructivism: Digital tools provide a vast array of resources and platforms for learners to interact with, experiment on, and create, thereby amplifying their ability to actively construct knowledge. For example, simulations, virtual labs, and interactive models allow learners to manipulate variables and observe outcomes, fostering a deeper understanding of complex concepts.
Constructionism, developed by Seymour Papert: emphasises learning by making. Papert envisioned an educational setting where learners actively construct knowledge by creating tangible or digital artefacts using technology. This hands-on approach fosters deeper understanding as learners engage with complex concepts and problem-solving when using digital tools.
- Constructionism: Digital tools such as coding platforms, video editing software, and 3D modelling tools enable learners to bring their ideas to life, creating tangible or digital artefacts. This process of creation not only reinforces learning but also encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Social Learning Theory, developed by Albert Bandura: Digital platforms facilitate collaborative and communicative learning. learners engage in shared knowledge construction.
- Social Learning Theory: Digital platforms facilitate communication and collaboration, allowing learners to learn from and with each other. Online forums, discussion boards, and collaborative projects provide spaces for learners to share ideas, give and receive feedback, and co-construct knowledge.
Connectivism, developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes: Learning is a networked process. Online resources, social media, and communities offer diverse information and opportunities.
- Connectivism: Digital tools connect learners to a vast network of information and resources, extending learning beyond the classroom. Online courses, educational websites, and social media platforms provide opportunities for learners to access diverse perspectives, connect with experts, and participate in global learning communities.

So digital pedagogy acts as a catalyst for teaching and learning, enhancing the core principles of these theories and providing new ways for learners to engage, create, collaborate, and connect.

How does considering digital pedagogy when planning, help me in my lessons?

Considering digital pedagogy in your lesson planning can help by:

Meeting the expectations of learners: Learners are "digitally expectant," meaning they expect their learning to include digital technologies. Incorporating these technologies into your lessons can help you meet these expectations and keep learners engaged.
Catering to diverse learning styles: Technology offers a variety of tools and approaches that can cater to diverse learning styles, making your lessons more inclusive and effective.
Increasing engagement and motivation: Technology can make learning more engaging and motivating for learners. When learners are excited about learning, they are more likely to achieve positive learning outcomes.