Digital teaching: Opportunity or challenge?

Date:
November 22, 2021
Source:
Technische Universita"t Dresden
Summary:
Researchers explain why digital teaching cannot replace face-to-face
teaching in university education, but can certainly be seen as a
complementary tool. The future of teaching and learning may lie
in so- called blended learning, a mix of face-to-face and online
education.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
In the past two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns, not only the importance of interpersonal contact but also the indispensability of face-to-face teaching has been repeatedly addressed
and discussed. Never before have lecturers had to change and redesign
their teaching methods in such a short period of time. Poor Internet connections, difficulties in the technical implementation and the lack
of personal exchange made the transfer of knowledge and teaching content
more difficult.


==========================================================================
For a high-quality university education, face-to-face teaching is
considered an extremely important core component. However, digital
teaching also brings unexpected advantages and opportunities,
demonstrates the Study and Teaching Commission of the Deutsche
Gesellschaft fu"r Psychologie (German Psychological Society (DGPs))
in a report for Psychologische Rundschau. Therein, Dr. Anne Ga"rtner
from Technische Universita"t Dresden explains that digital teaching
offers students as well as lecturers new, unprecedented opportunities
and brings a completely renewed form of teaching and learning to life:
"On the one hand, the flexibility in terms of time and space in work organization is one of the greatest advantages of digital teaching, as
not only time but also costs can be saved, for example, by eliminating
travel. Lecturers have greater autonomy and can decide for themselves
how to manage their time and organize their seminars and lectures. In
addition, recorded teaching material can be reused." Students feel
similarly: digital teaching allows them to learn at their own personal
pace and repeat recorded lectures as often as necessary. Nevertheless, "face-to-face teaching and digital formats should not be played off
against each other," says Dr. Ga"rtner. "Digital teaching should be seen
as a complementary means to further improve the quality of teaching, and
the importance of face-to-face teaching should not be forgotten." Because
even if online learning brings more advantages than initially expected,
the lack of contact between lecturers and students leaves many gaps that
cannot be "filled" online. One obvious disadvantage, for example, is the requirement of a stable Internet connection and the necessary technical equipment. Since digital teaching and its technical implementation was
still uncharted territory for many, there was accordingly an increased workload, especially in the early days. In addition, one of the main disadvantages is undoubtedly the difficulty of remaining disciplined,
focused and motivated in front of one's computer all by oneself over
a long period. For students in particular, this requires significantly
more self-discipline and organization than in face-to-face courses.

For Dr. Ga"rtner personally, the biggest disadvantage was not knowing
whether she could actually reach her students in her online courses:
"However, it turned out that my online seminars and lectures have
been very well attended so far, and interaction and exchange have been possible, albeit in a somewhat different form. As well as that has worked
out -- my digital seminar was even awarded a teaching prize, which I
was particularly pleased about -- I still hope that I will soon be able
to discuss things with students together again in the seminar room and
conduct exciting experiments in the lab," explains the psychologist.

Dr. Ga"rtner is also convinced that blended learning (combining classroom
and digital teaching) could be a promising method for teaching and
learning in the future. In face-to-face teaching, for example, the focus
could be placed more on interaction and exchange, while in digital forms
of teaching and learning, the material can be worked on individually. In
the future, more and more people will want to learn and teach online,
since everyone now has the opportunity to continue their education
anytime and anywhere -- whether on the road, in the waiting room, on
the train or at home.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Technische_Universita"t_Dresden. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Anne Ga"rtner, Mario Gollwitzer, Laura M. Ko"nig, Ana
N. Tibubos. Chancen
und Herausforderungen digitaler Lehre. Psychologische Rundschau,
2021; 72 (4): 273 DOI: 10.1026/0033-3042/a000555 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211122135438.htm

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