Keynote Synopsis
Despite considerable research into the use of technology in higher education, there is still a gap between what teachers might perceive as valuable digital curriculum design and what students perceive as valuable digital learning experiences. We need to understand how students engage with digital learning, so that we may forge pedagogically-led educational technology. Frequently, TEL interventions appear to be technology-led, rather than responding to identified teaching and learning needs. While the TEL research may add to the body of literature, impact on improvements in practice are more difficult to ascertain. While those researching education technology would argue that they do provide evidence of the benefits of educational technologies, those engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) would counter this, arguing that TEL researchers are too distanced from practice. Hence research and practice would appear to be progressing along parallel, but largely independent tracks. If we are to bridge the gap between research and practice, and to produce sensible and actionable innovations, we need to adopt a SOTL approach to digital technologies. This talk explores these tensions and examines the relative merits of SoTL in applying educational technology to bring about transformative changes – not just doing things better, but doing better things.