Learning in the Internet and information age 2.0

Our way of communicating has changed. We no longer need to be in front of our friends to have a conversation or to plan for the upcoming weekend. In addition, our lifestyle has also undergone changes: we have greater access to information thanks to the Internet, mobile applications are part of our lives and they make it easier for us, and we even no longer read as we used to (eBooks, Ipads, electronic magazines...).

So, if our lifestyle is no longer the same, Why do we continue to educate in the same way? Education needs to transform to prepare the workers of the future for the information age.

• Related article: "The 13 types of learning: what are they?"

What is B-learning and e-learning?

B-learning is one in which the student attends scheduled classes, as in classical education, but at the same time, has an online platform to develop work, homework or even evaluations. This platform allows you to benefit from more personal work and choose the time and place to learn.

As we can see, it is a type of blended learning. E-learning is one in which

the student does not attend face-to-face classes and her learning is entirely online.

The student in e-learning teaching has an active role; Firstly, he is the one who manages his time and plans his learning process. Compared to classical education in which students attend class with a specific schedule and a structured program, with days for tests, assignments and exercises... In tele-education, the student can allow himself to study the subject at the time that suits him best and carry out the evaluations and exercises in the same way. At the same time, You must learn to self-manage and plan.

On the other hand, they must have technical skills to manage the teaching platform and be able to plan and be their own manager in its development. Along with this, his role is fully active within the learning process since he participates in forums, chats, carries out activities, contributes ideas, etc. In short, in e-learning the student is the protagonist of his learning process.

The role of the teacher has also been modified. In other formations, this has the central role: it explains the contents, plans the evaluations and activities to be carried out. In b-learning or e-learning, the teacher takes the role of facilitator or moderator. In this way, students are empowered to direct their own learning and thus, facilitate them to develop skills that will be useful in their professional life such as planning, organization, self-learning and management of resources.

• You may be interested in: "The psychology behind social networks: the unwritten code of behavior"

e-learning 1.0 and e-learning 2.0

The main difference between e-learning 1.0 and e-learning 2.0 is that the latter is endowed with the "Social Media" or social networks, which give students the opportunity to develop their skills social and complete social learning through various tools such as wikis, blogs or chats. In e-learning 1.0 the student was still a passive learner, since he did not have social tools.

The interaction that students have with these materials is different from what they had in e-learning 1.0 where they only had access to limited and non-social material. It is true that in order to participate in this type of e-learning They need to have some knowledge of computers and new technologies. That is why they must also develop these skills, which in turn will serve them well in today's digitized world of work.

Internet gives the opportunity to find more than one source of information or tools on the same topic. Therefore, the students of this century must know how to classify, search for information and synthesize it to create their learning. In addition, this transformation in education gives the opportunity to develop the creativity that many times in the classical teaching we set aside and limit ourselves to requiring students to reproduce what is explained by the teacher.

Isn't it about time that we begin to educate according to the demands of the world of work?

Author: Itxasne Oliva