Critical Digital Pedagogy: Alternative Ways of Being and Educating, Connected Knowledge and Connective Learning

Abstract

Over the last twenty years, technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn. Learning needs theories that describe learning principles and processes, and should be reflective of underlying social environments. This work presents a research investigation if education can remain relevant in the digital era. Two conflicting and complementing concepts “critical pedagogy” and “critical digital pedagogy” have been discussed to establish a foundation for the new forms of teaching practices related to a virtual learning environment. It focuses on how our teaching practices can be re-imagined to become a crucial part of the socialisation process with students. In this system, students are encouraged to become reflective learners and think critically about the current conditions of the world and how to make it a better place for all. It discusses the role of the teacher in the 21 st century and how it has evolved dramatically in recent times. The work is based on the independent research conducted by several universities in Berlin, New York and Moscow, which found that students do not expect their teachers to know everything; instead, to have somebody prepared to listen to students, have mentoring and coaching capacities and willing to offer extra time for consultations.