Creating space for active learning: (Opportunities from) using technology in research-based education

This chapter (2.6) deals with the challenges of using technology to enhance the education process and the student learning experience – not just to replace the teacher by technological or digital gimmicks. The secret of this process is to base it on the student’s active participation in the development of their own learning tools. The chapter (2.6) subsequently discusses methods and tools in research-based education, for enabling students in higher education the experience of producing knowledge themselves through digital tools. The chapter talks about how this interaction can help challenge the traditional hierarchical relationship between staff and students. Using technology in the classroom sometimes puts students in the role of teacher if the staff member is not technologically fluent, or can create environments where students can take on a more equal role in the class, such as sharing resources or engaging in a discussion with peers on Moodle, or developing videos to teach others about physics research, using examples from teaching and learning experience at UCL. (3.7)