Bridging the Gap: Digital Learning and Behavioural Insights in Modern Education
Technology has transformed the way we do almost everything - how we live, how we work, and how we learn.
While computers, tablets, and phones offer accessible ways to study, and eye-catching graphics or fun knowledge decks are a fantastic way to grab the attention of a new generation of learners, we also need to understand how people think and what motivates them in order to make a meaningful and authentic connection and provide a valuable experience.
Online courses, apps, and educational websites have made learning available to everyone, anytime and anywhere. It's a big step up from the days of only learning in classrooms with textbooks and chalkboards! Now our focus needs to be on making sure the online experience is as helpful, human friendly and engaging as possible.
When we talk about understanding how people think, we're looking at why we make certain choices and what drives us to keep going. Knowing this can help us:
● Make Learning Personal: Everyone learns differently and there's more to learning than video or reading. Some like storytelling, or uncovering knowledge themselves by scavenger hunts. Online tools can adapt to what works best for each person.
● Keep People Motivated: We go deeper than extrinsic motivators such as trophies or rewards to instead focus on naturally intrinsic motivators such as personalised feedback, engaging storytelling, relatable avatars, humour and goal-led learning.
● Offer Real-time Feedback: Online platforms can instantly let learners know how they're doing, helping them improve on the spot.
● Flip the classroom: Participants contribute their own approaches and solutions to problems rather than merely answering 'tick and click' multiple choice questions.
Merging tech with an understanding of human behaviour is a big task. We don't want to depend too much on gadgets and miss the human touch. Plus, we need to be careful and respectful when looking into how people behave online and keep their privacy in mind.
The most effective online platforms aren’t successful just because of tech, it’s because they’ve found a balance between what learners need and what they want. We prioritise using technology as a tool to amplify human learning rather than as a replacement to real-world learning environments. Therefore, the most successful online platforms go beyond 'death by chunks of text' and video content that is 'scrubbed' or 'skipped' to deliver a space where learners have agency and control a learning journey that acknowledges their own world, lived experience, culture and age/stage.
Looking ahead, there's so much scope for change and exciting advancements. Think lessons where artificial intelligence tailors the content just for you or virtual reality classrooms where you can 'travel' to different parts of the world or do work experience from home. There's a lot to be excited about!
In our journey to make learning better for everyone, tech tools are super helpful. But, it's our understanding of how people think and learn that makes these tools powerful. By combining tech with this understanding, we're building a brighter future for learners everywhere.
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About the author
Tricia Martin is an FYA Young Social Pioneer and an Australian Women Leading Tech Finalist. She also coached an Under 9’s netball team in her local community, which she thinks is just as impressive. She continually looks for ways to use technology, behavioural science and digital experiences to meet people’s needs and find people-centred solutions to messy problems. She spends her free time reading sci-fi books, scouring thrift stores and watching Buffy for the fifteenth time.
