Digital Teaching- A distance education perspective Dr Sonja Rewhorn SFHEA
The Open University (UK)- Digi:Đ-ố-i consortium
Abstract
Digital teaching has been developing for several decades. In recent years, it feels digital transformation in higher education is more exponential- accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. For many educators and higher education institutions (HEI), there was a move to distance (online) teaching overnight. Higher education institutions and educators had to embrace distance education pedagogies at the same time as enhancing their individual competencies to be able to deliver only through the digital. This is not withstanding many HEI courses had virtual learning environments prior to the pandemic. Furthermore, distance education pedagogies are not new. Terry Anderson and Jon Dron in 2011 suggested three generations of distance education pedagogies, all situated within the context of digital technologies of the time. Indeed, these generations have moved on since 2011. This paper discusses digital teaching, focussing on the distance education context. The paper is framed within inclusivity with the opportunities of digital teaching and associated digital transformations, but also the challenges of digital transformation and the importance of ensuring accessibility for all. The discussion will draw on The Open University (UK), as a case study. The Open University (UK) delivers online degree programmes at scale and through digital teaching, however, the opportunities and challenges are relevant to many universities and the Open University continues to contribute to and be part of the wider conversation on digital teaching
