Knowledge-building in an environment mediated by digital technology: A case study in higher education

Area of Science:

• Education
• Cognitive Science
• Sociology of Technology

Background:

• Modern digital technology is transforming educational environments and information processing.
• Few studies offer a theoretical perspective on technology's impact on knowledge construction.
• Social constructivism provides a foundation for understanding how individuals build knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reinforce theoretical contributions on how modern technology affects knowledge building.
• To develop a theoretical framework for the 'onlife' world, integrating digital and physical realities.
• To analyze the relationship between thinking skills and knowledge construction in a technologically mediated environment.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study based on social constructivism.
• Utilized an ill-structured task to observe thinking skills.
• Employed semi-structured interviews to explore knowledge-building processes.

Main Results:

• Digital technology promotes the use of higher-order thinking skills.
• These skills operate in a chaotic, complex, and unpredictable manner.
• The methods of knowledge construction are evolving due to digital integration.

Conclusions:

• The ways in which knowledge is built are demonstrably changing.
• There is a need for more empirical research to develop a widely accepted theoretical construct.
• Understanding knowledge construction in the digital age requires further theoretical and empirical investigation.