Independent Digital Learning: paradoxes, problems and potential in classroom practice

Published on: January 16, 2019

11 min read

For nearly all of history, people’s lives have been governed primarily by ignorance… But sometime over the last several decades… science has filled in enough knowledge to make ineptitude as much our struggle as ignorance. (Gawande, 2010, p. 8) My 15-year history teaching experience has been paradoxical: a subjective feeling that my workload has increased while my students appear to be less productive. This reflection has been catalysed by preparing students for competitive university entrance. Many have not fully internalised key concepts such as the analysis of primary source material. These are a central part of the curriculum, yet students still appear to prioritise accumulation of knowledge over understanding. This is supported by my experiences marking A-level papers. Research literature suggests that higher education can fail to develop independent learners, with students prioritising ‘surface’ over ‘deep’ learning (Gow and Kember, 1990). At a time when technology

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This article was published in January 2019 and reflects the terminology and understanding of research and evidence in use at the time. Some terms and conclusions may no longer align with current standards. We encourage readers to approach the content with an understanding of this context.