Highlights

Abstract

Keywords

۱٫ Introduction

۲٫ A learning activities perspective on teaching and learning with digital technology

۳٫ Conclusion

Author contribution

Funding

References

Abstract

We propose a model of contextual facilitators for learning activities involving technology (in short: C♭-model) for both on-site and distance learning environments in higher education. The C♭-model aims at systematizing research on digital teaching and learning and offers a roadmap for future research to understand the complex dynamic of factors that lead to successful digital teaching and learning in higher education via suitable learning activities. First, we introduce students’ learning outcomes as central benchmarks of teaching and learning with digital technologies in higher education. Second, we want to focus on a major proximal factor for students’ learning outcomes and thus apply a learning activities perspective. Learning activities involving digital technologies reflect cognitive processes of students when using digital technologies and are causally connected with students’ learning outcomes. Third, we highlight several contextual facilitators for learning activities involving technology in the C♭-model: learning opportunities that result from higher education teachers’ instructional use of technology and students’ self-arranged learning opportunities involving digital technologies. Apart from these proximal facilitators, we include more distal factors, namely, higher education teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward digital technology; higher education teachers’ qualification; students’ and teachers’ digital technology equipment; and institutional, organizational, and administrative factors.

۱٫ Introduction

Teaching and learning with digital technologies has changed education in general and specifically higher education in many ways. Digital technologies can promote new ways of learning and can effectively contribute to the successful acquisition of knowledge and skills, especially those needed in today’s world (Hamilton et al., 2016; Puentedura, 2006). Digital technologies offer opportunities to support and enhance on-site learning (e.g., by visually representing complex procedures with digital presentations or by using audience response systems; Chien et al., 2016; Hunsu et al., 2016) and they allow for technology-enhanced distance learning (e.g., Surma & Kirschner, 2020). Whereas approaches such as blended learning and inverted classrooms (Låg & Sæle, 2019; Owston, 2013; Strelan et al., 2020) combine on-site and distance learning, other approaches focus on distance learning settings such as massive open online courses (MOOCs; Zhu et al., 2018). The use of digital technology for teaching and learning has been discussed for decades (see Tamim et al., 2011), but it has moved into the focus of broader public and political attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Seufert et al., 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary shift to distance teaching and learning occurred. This led to teaching formats such as emergency remote teaching (Hodges et al., 2020) or modifications of existing concepts such as online inverted classrooms (Tolks et al., 2020). Under these circumstances, with the COVID-19 pandemic entering the stage, institutions of higher education have faced a stress test with respect to their readiness for teaching and learning with digital technology: Higher education teachers need to successfully plan and implement digital teaching; students need to successfully make use of digital learning opportunities; and both teachers and students need an infrastructural, institutional, and organizational environment that is conducive to digital teaching and learning (see Liu et al., 2020).