Section Introduction: Promises of Digital Technology for Teaching and Learning

The allure of digital technology; emergence of ubiquitous connectivity; increasing mobile technologies; and the immense power of the Internet promise opportunities never before imagined for education. The digital environment is already enabling learners and teachers to come together virtually or face-to-face to make sense of, and deepen their understanding about, their world. The ultimate goal is to encourage students to be proactive and deliberate learners who can teach themselves or seek out teaching from others when and where they need it. This is not to suggest that learners can teach themselves and that a teacher is replaceable by technology. Creating learning opportunities that allow students to develop future-oriented capabilities in and beyond school is the teacher’s domain of expertise. Technology works well when harnessed as part of a larger learning system that also integrates other tools, forms of participation and a variety of activities and experiences. In such a learning system, teachers are vital not only as instructors, managers, and assessors but also as system engineers and architects – capable of customising the context, tools, and connections in ways that are effective for the diversity of cultures and individual differences of contemporary students. Such capabilities as problem solving and innovation; self-regulation and evaluation; collaboration; communication; and knowledge construction are fundamental skills for teachers and learners alike.