how has digital technology changed the way children learn

Remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic moved whole cohorts of students and teachers into virtual spaces, accelerating practices that were already emerging and making both blended (mix of in-person and online) and fully online instruction routine. This normalization changed three interlinked areas of classroom practice: - Video lessons: Educators began creating and curating short recorded lectures, demonstrations, and walkthroughs that students could pause, rewatch, and study asynchronously. This shifted some instructional time from live, synchronous explanation to flexible, self-paced content delivery, which supports differentiated pacing but also requires students to manage attention and time independently. (see Hodges et al., 2020; K-12 research on instructional videos) - Learning Management Systems (LMS): Schools adopted or scaled LMS platforms (e.g., Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology) as central hubs for distribution of materials, grading, communication, and tracking student progress. The LMS turned course organization into a visible, persistent structure, enabling greater transparency and data collection on participation and achievement. It also changed teacher workflows toward more digital curriculum design and assessment. (see Trust & Whalen, 2020; EDUCAUSE) - Digital assignments: Paper worksheets and in-class activities were replaced by online quizzes, interactive modules, collaborative documents, and multimedia projects. Digital tasks can provide instant feedback, automate grading for some item types, and incorporate rich media, but they also raise concerns about equitable access, screen time, and the need to design tasks that promote higher-order thinking rather than rote clicking. (see OECD, 2021; Reich et al., 2020) In short, COVID-driven remote learning entrenched a technology-mediated pedagogy: instruction became more modular, asynchronous, and data-driven, with opportunities for personalization and scalability but also challenges in student engagement, equity, and the social dimensions of learning. Selected references: - Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Educause Review. - Trust, T., & Whalen, J. (2020). K-12 teachers’ experiences and challenges with online teaching during COVID-19. - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2021). Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? - Reich, J., et al. (2020). Remote learning guidance from state education agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic: A first look.