Decoding Digital Pedagogy

Sean Michael Morris makes a strong argument in part one of the ‘Decoding Digital Pedagogy’ article. My understanding being that there is a major difference between digital pedagogy and online teaching. Although I agree with this position, I do think that online teaching is a necessary step in the field of Education. The Learning Management System (LMS) can be defined as web-based technology used to plan, implement and access courses or training programs. It incorporates a rigid structure of learning, where a range of information is presented with expected memorisation. Yes, the interface and functionalities control the methods of online teaching and it is not the most creative decision, but it is still beneficial. The LMS is arguably a centralized source of learning, where multiple users can access the information at any given time. These systems ensure consistency and offer an affordable alternative to individuals who lack the necessary resources to pedagogically engage.

How smoothly would our PGCE course run without SUNLearn?

It isn’t that “we are not ready to teach online” per se, but rather that we are still in the process of understanding the technological terrain we have created, and hitting a pothole on the way to discovery does not necessarily make it an incorrect choice.

Upon reading these articles, I felt online teaching merely indicated a starting point on the ever-growing scale of technology and pedagogy. On this note, I view digital pedagogy as the next step – the utilization of electronic elements to correct the defaults embedded in online teaching. The major downside of online teaching is the lack of active learning and engagement, which is an aspect thoroughly emphasised in digital pedagogy through the idea of collaborative teaching. In hindsight, a number of teachers in the classroom (who have the ability and resources to be digital pedagogues) STILL merely slot “pre-written materials into an online framework” and call it teaching – this is neither pedagogy nor due to the LMS alone!

Jesse Stommel states that in order to become an expert in digital pedagogy, “we need research, experience and openness to each new learning activity, technology, or collaboration.”  I thus find Morris to be contradictory in his claim that the LMS has failed. In true pedagogical style, we should learn from the limitations posed. Digital pedagogy requires the pedagogue to take control of the tools at his/her disposal, where creativity is key! Do the unexpected and it is bound to keep the class interesting.

Digital pedagogy is not the final product… there is more to come in a world where flying cars are anticipated.

Digital Pedagogy Unplugged

Embarking on a teaching degree at Stellenbosch University has been an overwhelming experience to say the least. Moving down from Johannesburg presented a vast array of the unknown, but none quite like our 'Digital Pedagogy' module. In the very first lecture a valid point was highlighted, one that remains crucial to any future teaching career: teachers are slaves to the journey of learning! I feel this point has been made explicit in Paul Fyfe's article - 'Digital Pedagogy Unplugged'.

In our rapidly progressing world, technology is inevitably influencing our reality and what is teaching if not to prepare us for the real world? Fyfe ultimately makes the point of adapting pedagogy to cohere in a digital age. My understanding of digital pedagogy involves a process of critical thinking in deciding what digital tools to incorporate and exclude in the classroom, in order for effective learning to take place. As Fyfe states, many educators are under the impression that digital pedagogy is "just something that uses electronic tools or computers". This assumption disregards the multitude of innovative teaching strategies that are now available and that can stimulate new ways of thinking.  

However, the article also incorporates the idea of "teaching naked" or removing electronic tools or computers from the classroom. This becomes an important skill when considering the South African context, since many learners are situated in environments that are made up of the bare essentials – if that. Essentially, the optimal teaching space draws on the strengths of both 'old-school' teaching methods, as well as digital tools. Fyfe presents a dialogical argument with several examples illustrating the ways in which this can be achieved.

Although I stumbled blindly through specific sections of this article, I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of a ‘flipped classroom’ in which students are given the opportunity to take ownership of their learning. By allowing discussions and engagement in various activities, the digital environment shifts the position of authority in the classroom. I believe that this is a necessary change, since today’s adolescents encounter a more complex and diverse social network when leaving the classroom setting. Therefore, critical thinking enabled by digital pedagogy is a necessary skill. And so teachers remain slaves to the journey of learning, for it is not about maintaining superiority in the classroom, but rather about creating an active environment in which students can thrive.