Digital Developments in Higher Education: Theory and Practice

Citation

Dugdale, C. (2002), "Digital Developments in Higher Education: Theory and Practice", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 58 No. 3, pp. 353-356. https://doi.org/10.1108/jd.2002.58.3.353.16

Certainly, the title lives up to its promise of discussing both theory and practice surrounding digital developments in higher education.

The editors and contributors, a significant number based at the University of Auckland, are all involved in various aspects of higher education. Most are lecturers, especially in education, or directors of education policies, and they bring a strong pedagogic thrust to discussion of digital developments in lifelong learning, electronic publishing, computer‐mediated communication, the growth of virtual universities and consideration of market imperatives. A list of their posts and affiliations and very comprehensive references for each chapter are included, but there is no index.

Despite the editors’ assertion, in the excellent Introduction, that the book reflects no “rigid separation” between theory and practice and that “critique should be informed by experience and vice versa”, I found its discussion of digital developments rather schizophrenic. The first half focuses on more philosophical analysis and the second on practical and pedagogical considerations informed by courses at different universities. Rather than providing a rounded, balanced consideration of issues, this presents a “separation” of treatment. This is further emphasised by the philosophical, political and policy‐centred focus of the first six chapters largely highlighting “dangers” inherent in digital developments and the last six more optimistically outlining “successful” implementations of courses served by technology. Balance is achieved as some of the conclusions of those implementing/maintaining these courses/projects challenge conclusions reached by some of those advancing theories in the first half of the book. Assertions that distance/online courses isolate students, leaving them bereft of meaningful interaction with colleagues and lecturers, for example, is refuted later by a description of enhanced student/lecturer interaction on an online course.

I am somewhat confused as to the book’s intended audience. Everyone involved in providing education in the twenty‐first century should be aware of both the potential and dangers inherent in using or ignoring developments in ICT. Oft repeated concerns about the commodification of knowledge and the process of knowledge production, however, appear to be targeted at institutions’ chief policy makers, whereas course descriptions, often small scale, seem intended to encourage and guide individual lecturers or course leaders. Lecturers, reading this book for guidance or encouragement, might think its first 100 pages are irrelevant to their situation and stop reading before finding this guidance in later chapters. Policy makers might find some of the later chapters too detailed in describing individual courses.

Initially, I found the book’s approach very refreshing. Often, “consideration” of digital developments proves to be little more than a showcase for a successful small‐scale introduction of a project/course/system in one institution with little mention of unsolved problems encountered or concerns about scaling‐up. This makes it difficult to form any meaningful overview of worldwide digital developments in higher education or to appreciate the possible consequences if other knowledge and course “producers” challenge traditional providers like long‐established universities. The first six chapters certainly raise these issues, although I found them depressing reading, and was relieved then to read about successful implementations of courses using technological developments. Many of these, however, are on a small scale or have not been running very long.

Two major stands resulting from technological change in higher education underlie all the chapters. Such change permits new opportunities for individual access to learning and raises new possibilities for knowledge, skills and competence through information and communication technologies. Emerging digital technologies will lead to inevitable changes in higher education over the next few decades, providing everyone with both opportunities and challenges. Geographical barriers are removed, access should be easier to higher education courses and virtual universities and lifelong learning can grow. Digital developments can underpin more flexible learning methods, new teaching styles and information provision and the development of new student/lecturer relationships.

The first half of the book, however, also suggests that everyone should be aware of the possibilities that, through globalisation and new media, digital developments may permit a limited number of providers, such as larger commercial companies, driven by profit and information technology rather than by pedagogic imperatives, to emerge and monopolise the market. Students may be able to access academic content faster and cheaper, but online learning may also mark a major cultural, economic and political change that questions the role of traditional institutions of learning. Individual students following global standardised courses may “customise” them so that “outcome‐driven” systems emerge. These could deny students the educational opportunities that might result from a more rounded programme based upon pedagogic goals developed by course leaders, as well as the social, cultural and intellectual richness found in the collective traditional and collegiate network of individual higher education institutions. Lecturers might find that alliances with multinational corporations that bring technological advances to enhance learning and access to information also include potential threats to creativity, academic freedom, and teaching and research quality. New media may reduce many of the current problems for scholarly publishing, but may also adversely affect quality if revisions and updates are so easy as to discourage “perfecting” a “final” version.

Those contributors outlining the successful introduction of technology into teaching and learning all stress the need for a sound pedagogic foundation to underlay use. Technology must always follow pedagogy. Academics, however, cannot ignore the computerisation of university life. The possibilities of technology should be explored with a view to enhancing learning and improving teaching and research, and advice is offered about implementing online courses. There are recommendations, for example, about the need for considerable time commitment from course leaders, flexibility in assessing work, awareness of linguistic behaviour for the new medium and good Web design.

The different contributors agree that digital developments have already had a profound effect on higher education and will continue to do so. They do, however, differ as to the degree to which they find these changes beneficial or potentially threatening for present and future students. Such varying viewpoints are, of course, inevitable until more longitudinal studies are possible. They only emphasise how new, unknown and unpredictable this very new area is and highlight the confusion that exists among those involved in implementing education and information policies today.