How to implement a digital ecosystem in the classroom?

We already know that technology has spread to all areas of society and work: industry, offices, the countryside, public administration, communications, our daily lives and, what concerns us in this entry, education. Little by little, new technologies have been implemented in classrooms to create a whole interconnected digital educational ecosystem.

The generalisation of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) has radically changed educational processes, both in terms of learning and teaching, as well as in terms of collaboration between the different educational agents. These are technological tools applied to the field of education, which make up a whole digital ecosystem that mixes the real world with the virtual in the classroom. The case of education can be extended to many other institutions.

These digital education ecosystems open the door to a vast world of diverse and enriching learning opportunities and approaches for teachers and learners, but they also pose some challenges, which we will discuss below.

What are digital ecosystems in education?

A digital ecosystem is a set of technological tools applied to a context in which they complement each other and foster innovation. In education, educational digital ecosystems virtualise the learning experience, so that the learning process takes place both inside and outside the classroom with the permanent support of technologies.

Benefits of digital education systems

Digital ecosystems in education do not completely disregard more traditional tools, methods and models of education, but rather complement them harmoniously to offer a more useful, immersive and experiential learning experience.

These have brought a number of valuable benefits to many schools:

Personalisation of the learning process 

Digital ecosystems make it possible to tailor the learning process to the individual needs of each learner. With appropriate technological tools such as the artificial intelligence in education, In this way, it is possible to offer educational content adapted to the learning pace, learning style and skill level of each student.

Elimination of geographical barriers 

Thanks to digital ecosystems and online education in general, learning is no longer limited by geographical location. Students can access educational resources and communicate with peers and teachers from anywhere with an internet connection, whether in cities or towns. Similarly, as there is no need to travel, students with reduced mobility can be better integrated into this mode of education.

Development of transversal competences

Digital ecosystems foster the development of transversal competences that are not confined to a specific discipline (see the classic split between science and literature). Within these competences we distinguish the following soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration and creativity. Companies are increasingly looking for professionals with transversal skills and a flexible, adaptable and multifunctional profile.

More active and collaborative approaches

Together with educational technology tools, interactive learning environments are built in which students can actively participate in activities such as online discussions, collaborative projects and games for pedagogical purposes.

Increased innovation and experimentation in pedagogy

The integration of technology in the classroom opens up wonderful new possibilities for innovation and experimentation of different methodologies in pedagogy, such as the project-based learning or the active methodologies. Teachers can therefore draw on a wide range of digital tools and resources to design more dynamic and personalised learning experiences.

Digital literacy

Digital ecosystems are a vital support point for students and many teachers to acquire the necessary skills and competences to become proficient in information and communication technologies (ICT). Digital literacy is essential in today's society, as technology plays a pre-eminent role in everyday life and in the workplace.

Tools of an educational digital ecosystem

Each teacher and educational centre can choose from a sea of tools to compose an educational digital ecosystem with its own flows and characteristics depending on its resources and students. Although a vast number of tools can be found on the Internet, here are the most useful tools that are already used in many classrooms around the world:

• Google Classroom: It is a learning management platform widely used in the education system that allows teachers to create virtual classes, assign homework, provide feedback to students and collaborate in real time on shared documents.
• Teams/Slack: Both are messaging and team collaboration tools. Microsoft Teams is part of the Office 365 suite and offers features such as group chats, video conferencing, and other typical functionalities such as file sharing and real-time collaboration. Slack is a similar platform that focuses on team communication. Both were designed for communication in the workplace, but can be implemented perfectly well in the educational environment.
• Google Docs/Spreadsheets: Google Docs is an online word processor that allows collaboration on documents in real time. Spreadsheets is a similar tool but for spreadsheets. They are a cloud-based alternative to the classic office suite that comes installed by default on many computers.
• Kahoot: It is a game-based learning platform where interactive quizzes, surveys and quiz games can be created. Students play the games with their mobile devices and the one who scores the most points for the number of correct answers wins.
• Canva: It is a very intuitive online graphic design tool with which many people easily create graphics, presentations, posters and other visual materials. It is also useful for teachers to design attractive and visually appealing teaching materials for students.
• ChatGPT: It is an artificial intelligence tool that can be used to generate text on a wide range of subjects. It has not taken long for it to become generalised in the educational system to solve students' doubts, generate educational content, and even to cheat.
• Google Meet: It is a video conferencing application developed by Google with which video calls can be made with up to 100 participants. Other tools similar to Google Meet are Skype and Zoom.

How to implement a digital ecosystem in schools?

Integrating a digital ecosystem is an arduous task whose roadmap will depend exclusively on each school and its circumstances. The aim of implementing it is simply to create a dynamic and enriched learning environment that makes the most of the technological tools and resources available. First of all, the physical space needs to be provided with a technological infrastructure sufficient to ensure reliable internet access and to install all appropriate devices for students and teachers.

As not all teachers are proficient with new technologies, especially the more advanced ones, it is important to provide ongoing training and capacity building through seminars, workshops and other online resources to teachers so that they can make good use of digital tools in their classrooms. Overall, it is essential to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration in schools where both teachers and students are motivated and empowered to experiment with new tools and pedagogical approaches.