We all know what it is... or not?

We're sure you've already experienced first-hand what digital learning means. Rather, the question is whether there are any teachers at all who were not dependent on digital formats during the COVID-19 pandemic? A definition can still be useful. This helps us to put conscious and subconscious experiences into words. As with many concepts, there is no single definition for digital learning

An overview of different definitions

According to the New Jersey Department of Education, digital learning is "any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student's learning experience and encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices."

A similar source is provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, whose Digital Learning Glossary defines the concept of digital learning as "any learning facilitated by technology that gives students some element of control over time, place, path and/or pace. This learning includes instructional content, interactions, data and assessment systems, learning platforms, online courses, adaptive software, personal learning enabling technologies, and student data management systems."

More specific definitions

Since the definitions mentioned are rather broad and refer to any use of technology for learning, there are some sources that recommend defining various terms that are commonly used in this area in more detail. For example, the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association has produced a report in which the authors outline the problem:

"For years, the terminology used to describe forms of digital learning, such as online learning, hybrid learning, and remote learning has been applied inconsistently. Simply put, two people could be in conversation using the term 'online learning' and hold very different definitions of this term without the other being aware. The pandemic, and the massive shift to delivering courses in an online format, further amplified discrepancies and inconsistencies as individuals and institutions sought to describe and categorize their modes of delivery."

The report proposes the use of a range of learning modes: "a framework for common understanding and it is designed in such a way that the definitions will hold their meaning over time (as technologies and ways of teaching and learning continue to advance)." The full 11-page report is an interesting and very understandable read and can be accessed at the following link.

Evolving Definitions in Digital Learning: A National Framework for Categorizing Commonly Used Terms

Click on "Next" to see examples of different conceptions of digital learning.