Special Issue “Education in the Digital World”

02-05-2023

With the topic “Education in the Digital World”, a Special Issue of the Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society (WJDS) aims to address one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The guest editors invite contributions that study this topic with interdisciplinary and multi-perspective approaches. Although the digitization of educational processes has been called for in framework and competence papers by many (political) actors for years (Kultusministerkonferenz/national ministries of education, European Commission, UNESCO, Council of Europe), it has recently become clear – for example in times of the Covid-19 pandemic – that we do not yet know enough about education in the digital world: Numerous research gaps can still be identified in the field of evidence-based and empirical research on education in the digital world. In addition, there is a great need for the development of concrete didactic scenarios based on scientific evidence. This Special Issue is dedicated to this desideratum.

Education is broadly defined in the context of the Special Issue and includes education a) in formal contexts such as school, higher education, adult education/vocational training and b) in informal contexts such as digital media and digital platforms.

We invite contributions that apply a wide range of methodological approaches, including content analyses, learning analytics, surveys, experiments, and qualitative approaches such as focus groups. Furthermore, we welcome contributions that follow very different conceptions or are designed in different formats such as case studies, literature reviews, opinion papers, empirical and conceptual work. Submitted contributions can, but do not have to, link to the following aspects in the field of “Education in the Digital World”:

  • Reimagining and redesigning digital learning/ teaching in the post-pandemic world: What are our lessons learned out of the pandemic? Did Covid-19 serve as an accelerator for digital learning? Or do we need to rethink digital learning based on the experiences made in educational settings during the pandemic?
  • Digital era literacies: Which skills, competencies and literacies do learners and teachers need in a world driven by digital media (for example, Data Literacy, (Critical) Digital Literacy, Algorithmic Literacy)? What are strategies, interventions, or concepts to improve educational processes (either by increasing digital literacies or by employing innovative didactic tools)?
  • AI-based systems: How do AI-based systems change teaching and learning processes? What opportunities, but also what risks are associated with AI-based systems in educational contexts? Which didactic scenarios can be developed on the basis of AI-based systems?
  • Merging informal and formal learning contexts: How can digital technologies (from fitness trackers to social media) be used for supporting continuous learning inside and outside the classroom.
  • Digital tools, resources and technologies for Education in the Digital World: Which tools and resources can be used for education?

 

Key Dates

  • Abstract submission deadline: June 30, 2023
  • Invitation of full papers: July 31, 2023
  • Full Paper submission deadline: November 2, 2023
  • Notification of acceptance and paper reviews available: January 31, 2023
  • Paper revision deadline: March 15, 2024
  • Issue release: Summer 2024

Submissions

Submission of abstracts and manuscripts will be organized using the WJDS manuscript management system and full papers should adhere to the outlined guidelines. Full papers will be invited based on the abstracts submitted. The full papers (5,000-10,000 words) will go through a double-blind peer review process. Please indicate in a cover letter that the contribution is meant for the special issue on “Education in the digital world” and which disciplines are mainly addressed in your paper.

All papers will obtain a DOI and be made available via open access and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) on the website of the WJDS. There are no publication fees. If you have any questions about the special issue, please contact us at any time. We look forward to your contribution.

 

With best regards

the Guest Editors of the Special Issue

Irene-Angelica Chounta (irene-angelica.chounta@uni-due.de)

Eva Gredel (eva.gredel@uni-due.de)

German Neubaum (german.neubaum@uni-due.de)

David Wiesche (david.wiesche@uni-due.de)