Digital education: definition and keys to overcoming the digital divide 

Digital education affects stakeholders in the education community and raises challenges such as access to necessary tools and educational literacy. 

The integration of new technological tools in education implies profound changes in the methodology and organization of educational processes. 

The profile of the student has changed and the digital transition appears as the ideal and chosen way to respond to their needs.  

For this reason, it is necessary to address the issues that we present in this article as the definition of digital education, as well as the keys to combat the existing digital divide.

What is digital education?

Digital education is a learning and training strategy to adapt to the new needs of the information society to improve the use of innovation and technology, as well as the development of digital skills applied to the educational ecosystem.

In short, digital education refers to the use of digital technologies to facilitate and improve teaching and learning. 

It is not only focused on the development of means for people to learn and interact at a distance, but it is a profound transformation of education as a natural consequence of the expansion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their corresponding impact on society.  

Given this reality, it is crucial to promote the integration of ICT at all levels of education and training, including the human resources dimension of the sectors involved.

What is the goal of digital education?

Digital education aims to provide students with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the modern world, where digital literacy and technological skills are increasingly important. 

It seeks to meet the new educational needs of new user profiles who want to learn at their own pace and interact with educational content in ways that suit their individual learning styles.

New learners identify with their digital identity and share the following characteristics: 

• They are active in social networks where they build relationships and friendships with people who share their interests and expectations. 
• They consume fast and immediate information, preferably in the form of graphic or audiovisual messages rather than text.
• They are comfortable with parallel processes, multitasking and hypertextual navigation.

They are more receptive to learning by doing and gamification in education than to traditional training methods.

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Examples of digital education tools

Digital education has revolutionized traditional teaching and learning methods and there are numerous tools available to enhance this experience:

• Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Moodle or Blackboard, allow educators to deliver course content, manage assessments and provide feedback to students. 
• MOOC platforms such as Coursera, Udemy and edX offer courses in a variety of subjects, from math to music, that students can access anytime, anywhere.
• Educational software and applications have also become popular tools for engaging students and enhancing their learning experience. These applications offer a wide range of features, such as interactive simulations, gamification and quizzes that help students quickly grasp complex concepts. 
• Multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts and animations are also excellent tools for supplementing traditional classroom instruction. They provide a visual and interactive experience that engages students and makes learning more exciting.
• Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn can also be used as tools for digital education. They allow students and educators to connect and share ideas, resources and knowledge. 
• Online discussion forums are also excellent tools for facilitating communication and collaboration between students and educators.
• Virtual reality technologies are emerging tools that provide an immersive learning experience. Virtual reality allows students to be transported to different places and situations to learn about history, geography, or science. 
• Augmented reality allows students to enhance their physical environment with digital information and graphics, creating an interactive and engaging learning experience.

These digital education tools are changing the way educators and students approach teaching and learning.

By leveraging these tools, educators can provide students with a more personalized and engaging learning experience, regardless of their location.

Digital education as a global right

According to what we have announced, the irruption of digital education is emerging as an unavoidable reality that makes it a necessity, so it must be assumed as a right of all people so that no one is left behind. 

In this sense, it is necessary to bring the advantages of digital distance education to every home. Only in this context will it be possible to make digital education universal, cost-effective, efficient, technologically durable, sustainable and robust. 

How does the digital divide affect education?

In recent times, the educational community has witnessed a clear manifestation of the need to achieve higher levels of digital literacy among both students and teachers in order to bridge the inequalities that respond mainly to economic factors, but also to cultural and generational ones.

It is a fact that the digital divide can significantly affect the quality of digital education and that students who do not have access to digital technologies may face several challenges in their educational trajectory. 

These students may have difficulty keeping up with their peers in terms of access to digital tools and resources and high-speed Internet. 

This can lead to lower academic achievement, reduced engagement with educational content and an increased risk of dropping out of school.

In addition, the digital divide can exacerbate existing disparities in socioeconomic status, race and geography. 

For example, students from low-income families or under-resourced schools often do not have access to the same level of digital resources as students from higher-income families or well-resourced schools. 

Similarly, students in rural or remote areas may have limited access to high-speed Internet, making it difficult for them to participate in digital learning activities.

Keys to closing the digital divide in education

In summary, the digital divide can be a significant barrier to digital education, preventing students from accessing the resources they need to succeed in their academic journey. 

Addressing this divide is critical to ensuring that all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, race or location, have an equal opportunity to learn and succeed.

When we focus on solutions, the keys to addressing the digital divide in education are articulated around two axes that underpin the foundations of digital transformation: 

1. Fostering a powerful digital education ecosystem. 
2. Improving digital skills and capabilities.

Fostering a high-performance digital education ecosystem

This section addresses 4 issues that need to be addressed to deploy a high-performance digital education ecosystem:

1. Infrastructures. First, the necessary infrastructures must be in place to provide adequate connectivity and a system that facilitates access to digital devices. 
2. Teachers. Teachers need to acquire digital skills in order to operate effectively in this environment and to take full advantage of its benefits in the transmission and promotion of knowledge.
3. Learners. It is essential that they have access to tools that facilitate the acquisition and development of the professional skills and abilities  needed in the digital environment.
4. Content. Learning units should focus on quality and the use of simple and secure tools that respect both digital privacy and ethical standards. 

Improving digital literacy

Closely related to the previous section, it is imperative to improve the digital literacy and skills of the educational community by addressing the following aspects: 

• Promoting digital literacy. 
• Fight against disinformation. 
• Integrating artificial intelligence and other intensive technologies. 
• Training digital specialists. 
• Promoting equal representation of girls and women in digital studies and careers. 

It is clear that the process of integrating ICT in education is necessary and that all the actors involved and society as a whole must participate in this transformation. 

In this sense, at Smowltech we want to help you with our proctoring plans to take advantage of this transition process towards a digital education that not only bets on academic integrity, but also offers respectful and effective solutions for the remote supervision of your projects. 

Ask for a free demo where we will show you the innovative solutions we can offer you.

Updated on 14/06/2024

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