Let’s begin by extrapolating Paul’s assertion: “…but test them all; hold on to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
This statement might seem utopian in its comprehensiveness. Just 20 years ago, it was practically impossible to research everything that exists, everything that has been written, proven, or hypothesised in scientific circles. If you lived in a small town without an exhaustive library and without local scholars to help you navigate through all the research, you were limited by the knowledge of those around you or the most learned person you knew.
However, the last two decades have witnessed a revolution in learning. The internet and the digitization of libraries have democratised access to knowledge. Today, anyone with an internet connection can access nearly any book available in electronic format. Additionally, scholars, professors, and philosophers can be followed online through technology, eliminating the need to travel to another country or city to hear a Nobel laureate’s thoughts.
The effects of democratising knowledge
This democratisation of access to information and knowledge transfer from anyone to anyone has, like any new development, both positive and negative effects. Positive effects include access to scientific articles, discoveries, new philosophical tools, learning methodologies, and guides on starting a successful business—all available through a smartphone or computer with internet access. On the downside, the vast amount of information accessible can be overwhelming, as it is often unfiltered and can appear equally credible to the untrained eye. This democratisation can also lead to the perception that anyone, regardless of prior education, is an expert in any field, leading some to believe they are as knowledgeable as experts with decades of experience.
Advantages of digital learning
In this context, the concept of digital learning emerged. Digital learning can be described as an educational process that involves the use of technology and online tools for teaching and studying. This can include the use of electronic devices, online learning platforms, applications, digital resources, and other technologies to support the educational process.
Various digital learning platforms, such as Coursera, Udemy, Udacity, and EdX, offer courses from the most prestigious universities in the world or from experts at leading companies. These courses help individuals enhance their skills in various fields of study.
Through these tools, quality education has also been democratised by reducing the costs associated with attending a course taught by a Harvard professor or completing an individual course from Stanford University. It also includes access to courses provided to employees of major corporations like Google. All these advancements mean that, from the comfort of your computer, you can acquire knowledge that, 20-30 years ago, would have required a plane ticket to the US and substantial tuition fees at elite schools.
Digital learning doesn’t just provide access to quality courses. It also offers the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world who are attending the same courses. This allows learners to observe different perspectives, working methods, and cultural approaches to problem-solving. Consequently, participants in digital learning programs not only develop their desired technical skills but also gain a broader understanding of different cultures and the world in general.
The democratisation of learning has also introduced flexibility in what one can choose to study. Barriers like, “If I didn’t get into a programming school, I’ll never become a programmer” no longer exist. Anyone can now access a wide variety of courses, regardless of age, skills, experience, or academic background. Learning platforms are becoming increasingly sophisticated, offering personalised content to keep users motivated based on their level. Alternative education, particularly digital education, is gaining significant ground worldwide.
The pandemic accelerated the digitalization of education, prompting most universities to offer digital learning options to their students.
As a result, with access to a computer, comprehensive research becomes feasible. Furthermore, with the advent of AI tools like ChatGPT, we now have access to a resource that has aggregated information on virtually everything available online, capable of answering user questions by extracting relevant data.
Amid this wealth of positive access, Paul’s challenge to “hold on to what is good” is particularly pertinent in digital learning. How does a learner know that what they are learning is accurate, that the information is true, and that the teaching is not merely a product of the instructor’s imagination? What makes the educator a credible source?
Of course, there are indicators to consider before enrolling in any course, such as the number of participants, course ratings, the platform hosting the course, and the instructor’s qualifications. Prospective students should also examine the course’s difficulty level, curriculum, types of practical exercises offered, the validation process for their answers, employment or advancement prospects post-completion, and which employers recognize the diploma. These are critical questions that need answers before committing to an online course.
These challenges imply that individuals accessing online courses or seeking diplomas from such programs must already possess the discernment to select quality content. The online educational process also has its drawbacks. One significant disadvantage is the potential loss of skills specific to learning in a physical classroom. For instance, acquiring empathy from a teacher is more challenging online. In a physical classroom, a teacher can understand, beyond algorithms, what motivates each student to learn in a particular way. This dynamic helps students develop not only technical skills but also broader competencies. Additionally, the physical presence of a teacher offers distinct advantages.
When students interact directly with their teachers, they learn more than just the subject matter. This direct interaction helps develop broader perspectives, which can lead to greater success in their future careers.
Purely digital learning can deprive students of this personal connection, which can enhance their ability to engage with the world around them.
Amidst the challenges and benefits of digital learning, I propose a potential option to optimise this process for the digital student: hybrid learning. Hybrid learning retains the ability to “test them all” while providing access to a mentor who can guide students towards understanding what is “good.” In a hybrid learning model, students could access all online course materials, including pre-recorded lectures by the professor, which they can watch at their convenience. Then, mentorship and direct interaction with the teacher could occur during sessions where students ask questions about what they didn’t understand or engage directly with experiments and projects derived from the theory they’ve studied.
In a hybrid learning model, the emphasis on theory and its assimilation would be in the digital realm, allowing each student to learn at their own pace. The experimental, debate, and project-based aspects would take place offline, in a safe environment where students benefit from the guidance of an experienced teacher who can direct them towards what suits them best. The more students are challenged, the more they will value their diploma. Additionally, the more they experiment, the better prepared they will feel for real-world challenges.
Unlike 20 years ago, the future is increasingly unpredictable, with more rare and highly impactful phenomena—so-called black swans—emerging.
In this context, we need to be increasingly educated to navigate uncertainty with greater ease. A hybrid system that combines digital learning with offline education, guided by mentors, will provide us with greater resilience against any black swan events. It would be fundamentally wrong to believe that with the democratisation of information and artificial intelligence, we no longer need to educate ourselves because we can get any answer we want from these tools. The key difference in the future will be made by those who know what to search for, how to use these tools, and how to discern whether the results obtained are truly “good.” Continuous learning, whether online or offline, is becoming a growing necessity as the volume of information continues to increase.
Răzvan Crăciunescu highlights the benefits of having an offline mentor to navigate the online world effectively and take full advantage of the opportunities offered by digital learning.
