This document outlines key topics around digital learning and its impact on education. It discusses 1) digital disruptions challenging traditional education models, 2) the promises of digital learning in improving access, quality and reducing costs, and 3) the need to develop digital cultures that support new ways of teaching and learning. While digital technologies create threats like the unbundling of education, they also enable opportunities through democratization if institutions reimagine their role and purpose to serve societal needs in a digital world. The document questions what type of education system governments want new digital technologies to support and argues they should serve "big ideas" rather than being a big idea themselves.

1. Digital Learning
On Shaping Talent’s Future Value

2. @mbrownz

3. 2019 Conference
Dublin

4. 1. Digital disruptions
2. Digital promises
3. Digital cultures
Outline….

5. MICRO
MACRO
MESO
NANO

6. Digital learning is about
changing mindsets rather than
developing narrow skillsets
Central Point

7. 1. Digital disruptions

12. In 1976…
89% market share

20. Different interest groups
and stakeholders are borrowing
the same ‘languages of
persuasion’ to legitimize very
different agenda

22. Knowledge is in the Network
Education is NOT a Commodity

23. “It is theory that
decides what we
can observe…”

24. • Threat
• Unbundling
• Re-imagination
Crisis •
Disruption •
Democratization •
TWO MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
DIGITAL
LEARNING

25. Knowledge Economy
• Threat
• Unbundling
• Re-imagination
Crisis •
Disruption •
Democratization •
TWO MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
DIGITAL
LEARNING

26. “And we’ve got to bring on the competition — open the
schoolhouse doors and let parents choose the best school for
their children. Education reformers call this school choice, charter
schools, vouchers, even opportunity scholarships. I call it competition
— the American way.”
Donald Trump, in
his book “The
America We
Deserve”

27. Knowledge Economy
• Threat
• Unbundling
• Re-imagination
Crisis •
Disruption •
Democratization •
TWO MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
Knowledge Society
DIGITAL
LEARNING

28. “Higher education has a crucial role to play in laying the foundations of
a society that is more inclusive, participatory and
equal...” The President said “…the role of the university in
enabling citizens to develop the tools to address the great challenges
of our time – global poverty, climate change and
sustainability – was vital.

29. Education
in
Change
Education
for
Change

30. What type of
education system do
we want the use of new
digital technology
to serve?
Question for Governments…

31. 2. Digital promises

32. Access
Quality
Cost
Sir John Daniel
Iron
Triangle

35. “It will not be possible to satisfy the rising
demand for Higher Education, especially in
developing countries, by relying on traditional
approaches.”
(Sir John Daniel, 2013)
Past President,
Commonwealth of Learning;
Previous Vice-Chancellor,
UK Open University

37. 2.7%

38. 2015
No Significant
Difference

39. Off Campus
in Class
Off Campus
out of Class
On Campus
in Class
Acquisition
Participation
On Campus
out of Class
Physical Virtual
Digital
Leakage

49. Bolting or Infusing?

50. [ Blended | On-line | Digital ]
B O L D

51. 3. Digital cultures

55. http://dcufuse.ie

58. www.discourse.org

63. (adapted from Barnett, 2011)
Final remarks…
“Digital
learning
should be in
the service of
big ideas,
not as a big idea
in itself”

64. Digital disruption challenges
our ideas of what constitutes the
“good society”
for the future

65. Go raibh maith
agaibh!
Thank you

66. Professor Mark Brown - PhD
Director, National Institute for Digital Learning
www.dcu.ie/nidlmark.brown@dcu.ie
@mbrownz
www.slideshare.net/mbrownz