Perspective Chapter: The Impact of Digital Education on Modern Educational Institutions

Abstract

Over the years, technology has become increasingly dominant in every sector of the world, and the impact of digital technology on educational institutions has not been left behind. The concept of “digital education,” which entails using technological tools for both learning and teaching in a classroom context, has changed the traditional classroom environment for both teachers and students. In the present era of technological advancements, digital education is essential because it makes learning efficient through individualized learning, open access to an unlimited amount of information, flexible teaching methods, etc. Digital learning makes it possible for students to communicate and study with a greater variety of materials without having to rely solely on the limited resources available in a traditional classroom setting. Students can study and explore information more easily with the aid of basic digital skills and technology. A student’s academic performance and engagement in active learning both improve with a positive attitude and motivation. Digital education has various pros and cons in the teaching environment and its impact on different beneficiaries. Through a literature search, materials from public, educational, and expert sources were obtained. In this chapter, each of these will be explored and conclusions drawn.

1. Introduction

Digital education has become a global phenomenon and an integral part of the student’s life. It also has become a widely discussed topic in recent years. Digital education relies on technological devices that provide various ways of learning in this era. It contains instructional materials (e.g., course textbooks, research articles, videos, assessments, simulations, etc.) that are either licensed under an open copyright license or in the public domain. The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) served to require that technology is extremely vital in enhancing the students’ learning processes [1]. Technology has therefore been utilized as an effective teaching assistant that allows for the achievement of multiple educational purposes. This includes training and simulation which provide new types of experiences involving different mental processes, such as the method of training, practice and individual tutoring, creativity, problem-solving, simulations and educational games [2].

Digital education is recently essential for countries that are undergoing digital development and transformation. It facilitates teaching and learning by integrating digital tools and cutting-edge technology in educational practices. While the concept of digital education is not new, its role in educational institutions has substantially increased, teachers today rely on technical methods to promote digital learning and teaching, and the impact has been transformative [3]. Most educational institutions are adopting digital education as a response to the ever-changing digital environment. It is considered the perfect alternative for replacing the conventional whiteboard teaching in classrooms. Also, governments are currently taking necessary actions to develop policies that will expand the market for digital education in many regions as well as strengthen the wide range of opportunities that are developing from it. The US government, for example, ranks among the biggest consumers of eLearning services [4]. Using the most recent data, it can be determined that the US government has spent more than $2.5 billion on staff and student eLearning resources [5]. The UK has traditionally been a pioneer in the use of digital technologies in education [6]. Nearly £900 million is spent on digital education annually in schools all throughout the UK. An average school in UK spends about £400,000 on educational technology [7]. In 2020 a total investment of 6 billion euros from the German government was directed to digital education, which also allowed schools to offer digital services to underprivileged students. Additionally, France committed 300 million dollars to digital education nationwide in 2020 [8].

On the other hands, many questions have been raised as regards the extent of digital tools’ impact on students’ creative skills. Although educators have turned their attention to the different patterns of thinking, especially creativity, in the past decades, there is a significant downward fall in creativity scores since 1990, especially in the fields of mathematics and science [9]. For example, it was shown that numerous young children in United States, most of children between kindergarten years and sixth grade, experience the most serious decline. One reason that might be responsible for such decline is the mental distraction caused by the digital tools in the current school generations [3]. The purpose of this chapter is to make an in-depth examination of the digital education in teachers and students’ life and it positively or negatively impacts in their school performance.

2. Methodology; extensive literature review of recent research work on digital education

This study aims to provide insight on the impacts of digital education on contemporary educational institutions. In addition to demonstrating the benefits of digital education for students, teachers, and educational institutions, this research intends to highlight the prerequisites for its successful implementation as well as the distinctions between conventional education and twenty-first-century learning. It focuses on the ways that digital technologies can help and contribute to educational priorities, such as increasing achievement, addressing inequality and promoting inclusion, improving transitions into the modern workforce, increasing parental engagement, and enhancing the effectiveness of the educational system. Materials from academic, governmental, and professional sources were gathered through a literature research. The thematic significance of each of these was examined, as well as the quality of the supporting data, in order to obtain the presented information. After that, the most pertinent information was compiled and evaluated to present the relationship that exists between digital education and teaching activities. Its pros and cons in the teaching environment and its impact on different beneficiaries such as students, parents, teachers, and the institution.

3. Definition of digital education

Digital education, also referred to as Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) or e-Learning, is the creative application of digital technologies and methodologies when teaching and learning. Exploring the use of digital technologies allows teachers to create interesting learning possibilities in their classes, which can be blended with or made to be completely online courses and programs [10]. Both teachers and students will benefit from this creative application of digital technology. This encourages participation and turns learning into an enjoyable activity because learning has become highly adaptable and productive [11]. In addition to being able to study whenever they choose, students can attend classes from anywhere.

Additionally, by mixing in-person engagement with online or digital learning, digital education promotes a thorough dialog between students and educators. Digital tools, material, and teacher curriculum are all perfectly combined in this program for effective learning [12, 13]. Students also gain a variety of benefits such as exposure to new opportunities, tailored instruction, high levels of engagement, overall development, and improved outcomes [14]. Conventional chalk and blackboard culture has completely changed as a result of digital education transforming educational institutions. A computer or tablet replaces pen and paper, and online lectures or video lectures replace face-to-face lectures [15, 16]. There are also online whiteboards for student interaction. As more schools and educational institutions choose to use this digital educational system, it will expand even further in the future [8].

There are two distinct yet related concepts of digital education:

• First, Utilizing a wide range of technologies to build a more comprehensive set of digital skills and using computational thinking to apply these tools in more profound, technical, creative, and innovative ways to speed up and increase learning [17]. As countries integrate the updated curriculum, which indicates a change to a more digital future in education, this interpretation of e-learning is becoming more widespread in many nations [18].

• Secondly, using digital technologies to upgrade personal skills and incorporate them into the current learning process. Digital learning is gradually replacing traditional teaching methods. The Internet and high-tech devices like smartphones, laptops, tabs etc., are some of the personalized tools applied to facilitate effective digital education in the digital world [19]. But using technology in the learning environment takes more than just knowing how to use these tools, other factors including digital mindset, digital classroom, digital materials and more, are highly influential [20, 21].

4. Why is digital education important?

In both our personal and professional life, digital platforms and technologies are becoming more and more essential. Education and knowledge are more widely available thanks to digital learning, which also equips students with the mentality and skills necessary to succeed both today and in the future. Numerous studies show that simply giving students access to technology does not guarantee better results; instead, successful implementation of digital learning and active adoption of a digital mindset is required for it to improve the entire learning experience significantly [16, 22, 23, 24].

Appropriate digital education will be necessary for employment success in the near future. The growing digital transformation is increasing the value of IT skills in the classroom, business, and higher education. Furthermore, digital media is creating new chances for online learn in while modern technology facilitates more engaging and worthwhile learning experiences [12]. Digital teaching techniques have given classroom instruction a fresh look and made it interactive, such as PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, online training, etc. The students need to remain safe online is one of the major issues that has to be tackled by the educational administration. They must safeguard the students against numerous harmful threats while yet being effective and positive [25]. Digital learning has several advantages for changing a child’s life, including higher academic achievement, enhanced decision-making, improved cultural awareness, and more. Numerous opportunities exist in digital education to engage students, customize learning opportunities, and increase accessibility [26].

The digital education has some features that make it a unique instructional system for learning. These futures are [27, 28, 29]:

1. Personalization: Learning resources can be personalized by changing their settings on the equipment used to access them when they are provided in digital formats. The student will find it simpler to access and utilize the information in a way that best supports their academic progress as a result of this. Many countries want to promote personalized learning, which has aided in the modernization of the classroom by allowing teachers to modify their methods and pace of instruction to better suit the requirements, preferences, and interests of their students. Students that were given personalized learning methodologies in the classroom showed considerable improvement in reading and math skills; additionally, the longer students were exposed to personalize learning, the more significantly their performance increased. With the help of digital learning, it is now possible to give each student a unique set of educational opportunities.

2. Accessibility: With the advent of digital education, students now have the freedom to choose their own study schedules and access information whenever and wherever they want. This could encourage lifelong learning. For example, by using text-to-speech software or screen readers. The availability of education to “non-traditional” students, such as those who reside far from a university campus or who have childcare or employment obligations, can also be improved through online and blended learning.

3. Flexibility: The flexibility to deliver learning content in several forms, modes, or languages and to engage synchronously and asynchronously with individuals around the world are only two examples of the affordances that digital technologies frequently offer that are not available in traditional formats.

4. Authenticity: Digital skills are now a crucial graduate attribute because they are necessary for the modern global citizen to use when interacting in the digital world. Fundamentally, by avoiding digital education, instructors and students run the risk of falling behind in a world that is becoming more and more technologically interconnected.

5. Efficiency: Digital evaluations enable instructors and students to focus their efforts on areas where further comprehension is most needed by giving students quick feedback on their understanding. With the aid of adaptive hints, teachers can immediately clarify misconceptions and erroneous responses while also assisting students in real-time problem-solving. Additionally, quick assessments, visualizations, games, simulations, films, and annotation technology create a richer learning environment that helps students grasp concepts more completely.

6. It is less expensive than conventional education: Online learning is frequently less expensive than traditional classroom education. There are frequently many payment choices that allow you to pay in installments or per class. This makes it possible to manage budgets more effectively. The cost is typically low because there are many free course resources. Furthermore, there are many scholarships available today for digital education.

5. Digital education for the twenty-first century

Online banking, social media, streaming services, as well as activities that are specialized to education or the workplace, such as email, PowerPoint presentations, and PDF handouts, are all examples of the invisible ways that digital technology is a part of the twenty-first century. However, adopting pedagogical approaches explicitly geared toward digital education or using more openly digital technology, such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), can feel a little more challenging [30]. Students need constant access to internet tools and digital content to accomplish high-quality digital learning. Digital learning is global; as a result, students can connect from anywhere and have constant access to the vast amount of intellectual and educational resources available online. Technological advancement has influenced how knowledge is impacted and how it is shared. Therefore, in the twenty-first century, educators and school administrators must recognize that the traditional classroom is evolving, and conventional methods of learning and teaching have to be replaced with modern educational approaches to maximize the positive influence of technology on education [31, 32].

As a result of the learning environment being more dynamic than ever, students today are learning in a way that is significantly different from how the educational system was initially intended. With the development of technology and the popularity of online learning, education is being redefined in a variety of ways to meet the changing demands of today’s digital students.

5.1 New approaches to education

Both the way and the content of learning has changed thanks to digital education. Digital platforms, virtual or augmented environments, online libraries, webinars, and more all make a variety of digital teaching and learning methods accessible in educational settings, including colleges, universities, and training and development programs for businesses [33]. Digitizing conventional instructional materials is only one aspect of digital learning. Digital media in education will open up entirely new channels for collaboration, networking, and communication [34]. Digital training is more adaptable, customized, and transportable than traditional learning modes since it is not restricted by time or location [35]. Course materials are now created, shared, and co-developed on the cloud in the digital age [34]. Students learn to take on more personal responsibility at a young age through digital learning, which also helps them communicate and work in teams better.

5.2 Education must adapt to industry 4.0

There is currently a digital transformation. Digital proficiency is no longer just necessary for those working for startups; increasingly, industrial workers in factories, personnel in administrative roles, and a lot more also need to be proficient in this area [15]. The way we study and teach, as well as our educational system, must be modified for this digital age. All educational levels, from elementary school through universities and continuing education, are affected by this [36]. The ability to participate in social life in the future on their own terms will be made possible by digital education. A further benefit of digital education is that it will keep businesses competitive. In other words, education 4.0 requires industry 4.0. We have to fundamentally change what we learn as well as how we learn in order to keep up with the digital transformation. The reason for this is that, in addition to reading, writing, and math, digital abilities are now considered a fourth critical competency [5].

5.3 Integrating technological and educational advancements

Despite all the changes brought about by the digital transformations, education still has the same objective; to help people grow as individuals and prepare them for responsible participation in social, political, and economic life [2]. For this reason, we require education that is current with modern technology, to match the level of technological transformation with the level of education advancement.

When using a teaching app to deliver online instruction, a digital teacher must become familiar with all of its technological features. Digital whiteboards, mobile online learning, screen capture, and other classroom management tools like automated attendance, automatic fee collection, and other supporting technologies are a few examples of excellent uses of technology in the classroom [13]. Online teaching systems also give teachers the freedom to create courses with a variety of material formats, including audio, video, images, text, and more. One of the methods used to improve participation and learning results in online classes is for the teacher to create a comprehensive material that incorporates a variety of media [24].

Students today are sometimes referred to as “digital-age learners” due to their proficiency with technology and independent learning style. These students of the digital age have access to resources and knowledge outside of the confines of conventional school systems and procedures thanks to phones, video games, social media accounts, and text messaging [8]. Schools have problems as they attempt to adapt to and embrace this fast-changing environment due to the changing student demographics as well as the greater use of technology and digital resources in education. Nevertheless, the digital learning period offers schools a fantastic opportunity to increase student learning and help them develop twenty-first century abilities like critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating [10].

Digital curriculum is a comprehensive, adaptable collection of materials aligned with learning standards and expectations. The fact that the resources are accessible to students outside of the classroom is a major component of the digital curriculum [34]. Teachers customize and individualize students’ learning experiences by using digital resources. There are several different formats in which digital resources can be found, including video, images, audio, text, and interactive media.

A major aspect of digital curriculum is that the resources are also available to students outside the classroom. Teachers use digital resources to individualize and personalize student learning experiences. Digital teachers create digital documents, e-books, interactive lessons, and video tutorials to extend learning and add relevance to lessons [4]. A textbook can only get a student so far and is a static resource, gets easily outdated. Digital active curriculum assists students to go much deeper into understanding and assimilation [35].

The conventional definition of a digital classroom is one where the learning environment includes technological tools and software. When a physical classroom merges with the digital world, the result is a digital classroom. An online forum for reflective discussion can be a good way to address this. A digital classroom must have the capacity for collaboration or ongoing work outside of the classroom. In a digital classroom, it is simpler for teachers to highlight student work because technology enables quick access to learning resources and networks [22]. Students can also easily keep track of their progress.

Digital schools envelope the digital classroom as it can be described as a school that works virtually or runs online classes. Since the whole education system is now running digitally, the schools are also making themselves ready for the future [20]. There are a lot of benefits that digital schools put on the table.

• Improved Networking-Digital education also presents the students with the possibility to network with like-minded peers and teachers, across the globe. This more often than not leads to other chances or opportunities in line of partnership with their peers in the execution and completion of a project [12].

• Less Geographical Boundaries- A student often had to travel great distances to obtain knowledge; but with the development of improved technology and digital classrooms, this became less of a problem [9].

Digital transformation depends on developing new technological skills that can be applied in various fields. To produce new educational materials, teachers must adopt a digital perspective. According to psychologists, mentality is a style of thinking and viewing the world that influences our perceptions, behaviors, and emotions [17]. In order to succeed in an educational environment that is increasingly dominated by data-intensive and intelligent technologies, teachers and students need to develop a digital mindset, which is a set of attitudes and behaviors directed toward technological applications [25]. This mindset helps Teachers and students see how data, algorithms, and AI open up new possibilities. It takes work, but it’s worthwhile to put in the effort to develop a digital attitude. According to studies, educators who follow these tips are more productive, more satisfied with their professions, and more likely to foster beneficial skills in their careers [21, 36].

The next stage of learning has started, and it includes a variety of technical tools like:

5.3.1 Digital textbooks

Digital textbooks, also referred to as e-books, they offer students an interactive interface via which they may access multimedia information, including hyperlinks, and interactive presentations [34].

5.3.2 Online courses

Online courses are created by unrivaled professionals in their field of expertise and may provide students with real-time learning experiences and information in the specific field [23].

5.3.3 Online exams

With the advent of digitization in education came the online exam, which was more convenient for both teachers and students to assess the performance of students and even teachers in the digital environment [6].

5.3.4 Video presentations

This is an engaging strategy that aids in students’ learning. Students better understand the subject by being provided with a visual picture of it. Animation can be used to simplify the presentation of even the most complex subjects [23].

6. Attributes of digital education

1. Use digital content to its full potential; educators must consider the advantages of e-books and internet resources in learning. Cost is the primary advantage in this context. Since electronic books and online texts are frequently less expensive than printed textbooks, any extra money can be used on other materials [24]. To give students the most current information, teachers can also regularly update the digital reading list. The ability for teachers to create their own textbooks is also offered by companies that aggregate online content [29].

2. Adopting a formative assessment philosophy; this will help teachers assess how well their students have understood the material being covered. When integrated with digital technologies, struggling students can be detected and helped before their grades start to fall [6].

3. Creating a Community through Mobile Learning and Social Media; these digital classroom concepts let students use their own devices to participate in the learning process. By extending the classroom borders and fostering a better feeling of community both within and outside of school, tablets, laptops, and cell phones are great tools for education [12].

4. Posting of online lectures; Even though it places a lot of responsibility on the students, allowing them to view the lecture section of the lesson plan on their own time allows for more collaborative work to be done in class. As a result, the classroom’s dynamic shifts from being teacher-focused to being student-focused [9].

5. Prioritizing Communication and Clarity; since the digital classroom promotes student autonomy and allows for greater self-regulation, it is crucial that teachers clearly express their objectives and grading criteria to students. Real-time feedback on tasks should be available to students, and they should be able to view their grades quickly. In order to better satisfy the teacher’s expectations, students might monitor their own development in this way [29].

6. Create Peer-Assisted Learning; by utilizing online resources, teachers can promote peer-assisted learning in the classroom. Different students can view and share completed assignments, and they can also provide comments for improvement inside the documents themselves [21].

7. Diversifying of Projects: One advantage of the digital classroom is that it gives teachers the freedom to experiment with new and entertaining teaching methods outside of the traditional setting. Teachers can try students with a video summary instead of a book report? Have students produce their own podcasts as an alternative to essays. Teachers should use this fact to their advantage in order to make the classroom more engaging for digital students who are already familiar with these tools [13].

7. Types of digital education; techniques and methodology

7.1 Computer managed learning (CML)

In computer-managed learning (CML), often referred to as computer-managed instruction (CMI), learning processes are managed and evaluated by computers. Information databases are used to power computer-managed learning systems. These databases include informational varieties that the student must learn, along with a variety of rating criteria that allow the system to be customized to each student’s preference [16]. A judgment can be made as to whether the student satisfactorily met their learning objectives thanks to two-way communication between the student and the computer. If this is the case, the procedures can be repeated until the learner has met their intended learning objectives. In order to save and retrieve information that helps with educational management, educational institutions also use computer-managed learning systems [8, 33]. Information like lecture notes, training manuals, grades, curriculum details, and enrollment details, among others, could be referred to here.

7.2 Computer assisted instruction (CAI)

Another sort of digit education that combines technology with traditional instruction is known as computer-assisted instruction (CAI), also known as computer-assisted learning (CAL). The use of multimedia, including text, images, sound, and video, is a key component of computer-assisted training approaches. Through the use of numerous techniques, including quizzes and other computer-assisted teaching and assessment systems, and other forms of interactivity, students are able to become active rather than passive learners thanks to CAI [33]. Nowadays, the majority of schools—both traditional and virtual use various forms of computer-assisted learning to help students acquire new skills and knowledge.

7.3 Synchronous online learning

Multiple students can participate in a learning activity simultaneously, from any location in the world, with synchronous online learning. Online chats and videoconferencing are frequently used in real-time synchronous online learning because they allow students and teachers to ask and answer questions right away while still being able to talk to one another. Due to the rapid advancement of online learning technologies, this type of community-focused online learning is now possible. Authentic synchronous e-learning was almost unachievable to execute before computer networks were created in the 1960s. A lot of the traditional drawbacks of e-learning, such as social isolation and poor teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships, are eliminated by synchronous e-learning, which is now thought to be highly favorable. One of the most used and rapidly expanding forms of online learning today is synchronous learning [9, 16].

7.4 Asynchronous online learning

Asynchronous online learning involves individuals or small groups of students studying on their own at separate times and places from one another without engaging in real-time communication. Since they provide students more freedom than their synchronous counterparts, asynchronous e-learning approaches are frequently thought of as being more student-centered. Because it enables self-paced study, asynchronous online learning is frequently favored by students with rigid schedules. They are not compelled to learn at predetermined intervals with other students and can choose their own learning schedules [9].

7.5 Fixed E-learning

According to the definition of “fixed” in this context, all students who are participating in this learning process receive the same information, and the course material is not altered from its initial form. Teachers predetermine the curriculum, which does not take student preferences into account.

Although this method of instruction has long been the norm in conventional classrooms, it is not the best for use in e-learning settings. This is so that fixed e-learning may avoid wasting the important real-time data that comes from student inputs. Better learning outcomes are achieved for all students when each student’s data is individually analyzed, and the curriculum is changed in accordance with this analysis [4].

7.6 Adaptive E-learning

Adaptive e-learning is a brand-new, cutting-edge style of online education that enables Teacher to customize and restructure learning materials for every single user. Adaptive e-learning systems make education more personalized and student-centered than ever by considering various factors, including student performance, goals, abilities, skills, and traits. It is now possible to mathematically sequence student data using laboratory-based adaptive educational strategies. This has the potential to usher in a new age for educational science if done properly. The potential value and effectiveness of this kind of e-learning are sometimes underestimated, despite the fact that it might be more challenging to develop and implement than conventional teaching approaches [17].

7.7 Linear E-learning

When discussing human-computer interaction, the term “linear communication” refers to the unbroken flow of information from sender to receiver. This becomes a major barrier to e-learning since it prevents two-way contact between instructors and students. Even though it’s losing relevance over time, this kind of e-learning does have a place in the classroom. The distribution of educational content to pupils via radio and television broadcasts is a well-known example of linear e-learning [2].

7.8 Interactive online learning

Interactive e-learning allows senders to become receivers and vice versa, effectively enabling a two-way communication channel between the parties involved. From the messages sent and received, the teachers and students can make changes to their teaching and learning methods. For this reason, interactive e-learning is considerably more popular than linear, as it allows teachers and students to communicate more freely with each other [12].

7.9 Individual online learning

Individual learning, in this case, refers to how many students actively work toward the learning objectives rather than how student-centered the content is. For thousands of years, this kind of education has been the standard in conventional schools. When engaging in individual learning, students are expected to study the course materials alone and complete their learning objectives independently. As it primarily emphasizes individuals learning separately, without interacting with other students, this form of learning is not the best for helping students build communication skills and collaborative abilities. Consequently, a more contemporary strategy is required to replace the communicational gap [16].

7.10 Collaborative online learning

Through the use of a contemporary learning technique called collaborative e-learning, a number of students can work together to accomplish their learning goals. To accomplish their shared learning objectives, students must cooperate and engage in cooperation. This is accomplished through the creation of strong groups in which every student must consider the advantages and disadvantages of every other student. This improves the students’ interpersonal and cooperative skills. The concept that information is best generated within a group of people where they may interact and learn from one another is expanded upon by collaborative e-learning. While traditional classrooms use this style of learning more frequently than online courses, it is nevertheless a genuine form of e-learning that, when done properly, can be quite effective [27].

8. Role of students in digital education

Student’s responsibilities in an online course frequently resemble those in a traditional classroom, despite some changes caused by the nature of the learning environment. These responsibilities include the following [3, 14, 21, 32]:

8.1 Become acquainted with the course and course materials

Students should familiarize themselves with the module of the course. A module will contain important information applicable to the course as a whole. In an online course, this module may also contain assignments to complete as an orientation to the course.

8.2 Access to internet and computers

It is the responsibility of the student to locate their internet connection. Modern educational institutions give students specialized spaces where they can find computers with Internet connectivity.

8.3 Purchase the required course materials

For a digital class, teachers will choose books, websites, software, and other resources that are readily accessible to students. In most cases, the course curriculum contains information about these materials, including details on how to get them.

8.4 Attend class and participate in forums

Even if it happens online, digital students still need to show up to class to receive lectures and communicate with their peers.

8.5 Communicate with teachers and staffs

Classroom communication helps both students and teachers by better comprehending the subject matter, methods, and procedures for the course. In an online course, communication is especially crucial.

8.6 Abide by the guidelines and the online code of conduct for digital classrooms

Students are responsible for adhering to all the standards and rules for online education established by the school administration. Even if classes are delivered online, students must maintain excellent ethics and appropriate behavior for an educational environment.

9. Administration’s role in digital education

As education is transforming and becoming more digitally inclined, school administrations also have to evolve with the times to manage all educational activities efficiently. They have a responsibility to the society, parents, Teachers and even the students themselves to provide standard conducive learning environments while also protecting their interests [11]. Even in a digital context the students have to be guaranteed safety from any digital hazards. Applying instructional strategies that successfully confirm students’ identities is the administrators’ responsibility. The administration will introduce students to their online learning environment and explain how the course is organized within the learning management system, along with the learning objectives, expectations, and outcomes [27]. Effective communication is crucial, they must specify how and when students will communicate with and interact with the teacher, and students must receive frequent evaluations and comments from the administration on educational performances [24]. The administration has a duty to review all teacher curriculums and materials before they are sent to the students to ensure they uphold the standard and qualities of the institution [11].

A school administration applies various digital strategies to facilitate digital education. The following are a few examples of potential teaching strategies applied: holding online classes utilizing video displays, examining student writing samples from written assignments, routine communication with the student (through email, phone, and video), group projects, etc. A change in a student’s behavior or academic performance, such as a sharp decline in performance, must be noticed by administrators because they have a responsibility to provide graduates who are equipped with the skillset to be productive in the twenty-first Century and have a positive impact on the fast transforming digital world [3].

10. Role of digital teachers in digital education

Similarly to a traditional classroom, instructors and teachers have obligations to both students and administration to uphold all educational standards established by the school. Functions of teachers in digital education include [13, 23, 25]:

10.1 Provide adequate support and assistance to students

Teachers must focus on their students and assist them in any way they can because not all students may have the same aptitude for technology as others. For students to correctly complete the course assessment, teachers can help and direct them on how to access, organize and utilize the required resources for proper course evaluation.

10.2 Promote learning

Digital teachers have to use different tools to create more engaging lessons by encouraging students to use various reading materials, audiovisuals, gamification, and other hands-on activities that promote self-learning.

10.3 Server as a moderator between students

Just as it is necessary to encourage participation, it is also necessary to moderate all discussions that are generated in group debates and forums to take advantage of collaborative learning among students?

10.4 Monitor students’ progress

Teachers must keep an eye on students’ development in a flexible, comfortable, and respectful atmosphere while accounting for student’s forum involvement, content, connection times, frequency of logins, etc., and provide support as required.

10.5 Evaluate students

A teacher of a digital class will be in charge of planning the schedule, imparting knowledge, encouraging student participation, monitoring, responding to inquiries, and evaluating all student performances. The teacher will then be responsible for providing corrections and feedback in line with the activities that the students complete.

11. Quality of digital education

The quality of an individual’s life is based on the non-financial aspects of their lives relating to livelihood and life fulfillment. Quality of life in an individual’s professional career refers to the work and time a person spends partaking in activities which give them the highest level of fulfillment. A person’s level of productivity rises in direct proportion to their quality of life, the same is true for digital education. The better the digital education provided by an institution’s administration, the more productive its students can be. The role of school administrations is significant in this context because they are in charge of giving every student and teacher access to the internet, new technology, high-quality digital textbooks, and online learning platforms, all of which are essential to high-quality digital education [12].

Five main pillars need to be considered to guarantee the end-to-end, systematic delivery of high-quality digital education [12, 18, 24]:

11.1 Educational operations

Following an analysis of the courses offered and the relevant course objectives, a complete implementation feasibility assessment at the course level, as well as a more in-depth examination of the course’s objectives and learning outcomes, should be done. The analysis can be used to develop appropriate course material and objectives. This will include decisions about delivery method (synchronous, asynchronous, or hybrid) as well as the best techniques to stimulate simple interaction between teachers and students (social media, forums, and discussion boards). To avoid subjecting students to text-heavy material, digital classrooms can be utilized in conjunction with a variety of resources, including webinars, videos, podcasts etc. Experiential learning, which is frequently done in labs, field visits, legal clinics, and other settings, is an area that requires specific attention.

11.2 Appraisal of teachers and students

Evaluation outcomes and assessments must be in sync. Digital submissions, oral assessments, oral assessments using technology-driven AI, and submissions of handwritten responses shared in image format are the four main delivery options for online exams. The assessment design should be revised to reflect the targeted learning outcomes and the realities of online delivery, but it can still incorporate continuous assessment, open-book exams, and class participation activities.

11.3 Extracurricular activities

Digital administrations will facilitate online events like reading clubs, performing art e-collaborations, gaming get-togethers, and e-exercise classes to enable extracurricular activities and social networking. To encourage interactions between staff and students, mentorship programs and online office hours might be implemented.

11.4 Digital facilities

The digital infrastructure of an institution serves as the basis for digital education. Institutions need to provide the resources that instructors and students need in terms of technology, software, internet access, electricity, and administrative tools. When designing educational settings, factors like costs, scalability, security, flexibility, and feasibility of implementation must all be taken into account.

11.5 Institutional protocols

Effective digital education is built on a strong foundation of effective governance, which is characterized by the appropriate policies, procedures, and protocols. Grading, evaluation, attendance, code of conduct, faculty training and mentoring, mental health and emotional well-being, data protection, and class scheduling are the areas that must be covered. The administrative tasks of an institution, such as placements, internships, internationalization, student orientation, convocations, and scheduling, must be balanced with research.

12. Digital education and teaching mathematics

Environments for digital mathematics education have been developed within currently available mathematical software (such as dynamic geometry, dynamic graphing, spreadsheets, or statistical software), or they may be integrated into webpages or applications. A common element of this environment is that the user (a learner or instructor) is required to alter a mathematical variant and watch the outcomes in order to create a more comprehensive grasp of how various mathematical concepts are dynamically related. It is known that individualized teaching and digital learning have increased students’ overall proficiency in mathematics and their grasp of the subject [22].

12.1 Rationales for using digital tools in mathematics education

1. Digital tools highlight, facilitate, and enable manipulation of relationships that are crucial for comprehending mathematics [22, 30, 36]. They can provide quick feedback to promote conceptual exploration and hypothesis, for instance with geometry, functions, or sets of data.

2. Algorithmic tasks can be delegated to digital tools, allowing users to concentrate more on other aspects of a task.

3. Digital tools have a lot to offer for honing mathematical abilities and gaining experience, including task diversity, randomization, automated and intelligent feedback. Also, tasks can be carried out in a private setting where one can safely make mistakes and learn from them. Students’ broader careers, higher education, and personal demands require using digital technologies in mathematics education.

4. Since students are digitally recorded, this can provide insights into the evidence of students’ thinking and practice, helping both formative and summative evaluation. Through the use of digital technology, blending traditional face-to-face teaching with online learning could provide the best of both worlds by combining the collaborative/3D responsive element with increased possibilities for reflection, both of which are beneficial for mathematical learning.

5. Digital tools are already playing a much larger part in new applications and are becoming more and more important in the construction of mathematical knowledge, which should have an impact on the curricula in schools.

12.2 Digital tools currently available for mathematics include the following in terms of general uses and overlapping categories

1. The following are examples of general digital platforms for instructors that support mathematics digital education; e-mail, webinar applications, and VLEs [22, 30, 36]. They enable live instructions or teachings to be recorded, maybe with subtitles or even pre-recorded. In any case, events or resources are readily accessible for later review.

2. Tools for presentations, whether used in-person or virtually, can mimic a whiteboard or can be further developed with hyperlinks, embedded apps, etc. They can be created by teachers, downloaded for free from the internet, or purchased as part of a package or website. They can also be stand-alone presentation software for use in the classroom.

3. Calculators and statistical software are examples of computational tools/software that “outsource” the procedural parts of problems in order to focus more on the modeling, pattern-spotting, global behavior, invariants, etc.

4. Graphing software, the dynamic geometry package (Geogebra), CAS, and programming languages made especially for math (such Logo and Scratch) are examples of standalone mathematical software used for mathematical inquiry, concept development, or problem resolution. These can help in hypothesizing, finding important connections between various representations, developing algorithmic thinking, as well as outsourcing calculations or arguments.

5. MyMaths is an example of a software made to facilitate fundamental mathematics learning and also for assessing mathematics abilities. A “teaching” component may be included in these.

6. Another software is cornerstone mathematics which is an Interactive curriculum-specific software, that supports the development of certain (sets of) mathematical ideas.

13. Identity in digital education

The identity is shaped by various perspectives. Understanding the relationship between human being and internal/external factors is a key to understand the identity correctly. There are five principal conceptions of identity that are commonly invoked and they are widely prominent in philosophical thinking. They are; identity as self, identity as narrative, identity as difference, identity as consciousness and identity as position. Each of these metaphors are associated with a distinctive endowment of desirable attributes and capacities and each sees identity as derived from different sources and as invested in different dimensions of human existence [20].

Identity as mind places literate practice as a tool for coming up with abstract concepts that some students who have evolved are in higher conscious levels and those who have not are in lower conscious level. Identity as narrative depicts those stories such as tales, myths places an individual in his own identity implying that people are constructed from the stories others tell about them and their experiences. Identity as difference situates literate practices as an artifact of the targeted difference. So that literacy itself is seen as differently practiced dependent on the race, ethnic, and cultural practices that a person is tied to. Identity as a position metaphor takes into account discourse and narrative. It provides that the social positioning of students via everyday discourse, text, or other media places them on their identities based on gender, race, and other sorts of subject. Identity as self-metaphor emphasizes more on how identities are different [13].

In the current order of the world, it is significant to get identified by one thing or another, for example, the name of user in social account. Identity of a person in social media determines the social positioning or location in a society where a person lives. However, getting the appropriate kind of identity can also be a challenge for people and groups such as race and the adolescents as a consequence of the obstacles confronted in the quest for developing identities. Because of identities such as race, gender, and minors, different forms of discriminations and privileges accompany the identities. Since the attributes describe identity, they can be used to determine the boundaries on what students are capable of becoming. Students can build the perceptions of them in social media as influencers, attractive, and vice versa [4, 10].

Each member of the educational community has a digital identity that serves as their representation. This includes not just the students, teachers, and full-time staff but also you are independent contractors, substitute teachers, parents, part-time employees, ad hoc faculty, partners, and others. This refers to anyone who supports education in any way, even if it’s only as a back-end assistant. A list of characteristics that describe a person is included in each digital identification. Systems can recognize, safeguard, and service users thanks to digital identities, for example, by granting access to the applications that each person requires [10, 13].

Examples of informational pieces that can be used to create a digital identity include: username and password, purchasing behavior or history, date of birth, social security number, online search activities such as electronic transactions, and medical history. According to this viewpoint, a student’s digital identity may develop as a result of their participation in online learning and the creation of digital environments. This participation, in turn, creates the pathway for students to acquire the digital tools that permit participation in and contribution to social practices (of teachers and students) and, subsequently, the pathway to becoming distinctive individuals and students. According to this perspective, students’ involvement in both learning and designing digital environments can be considered as an active project to help them develop digitally [3].

14. Advantages of digital education

The scope of how digital tools and services can be used for educational purposes is limitless, and it has incredible benefits for both students and Teachers [9, 23, 29].

14.1 Individualized learning experience

Many students lose interest in their studies when they are unable to catch up with the rest of the class, which is a significant flaw in the traditional educational system. The modern digital format enables teachers to adapt the study material based on a student’s learning style and aptitude. With the education system going digital, instructional activities are having a positive impact.

14.2 Students become smarter

Students that are exposed to cutting-edge learning resources and technology get proficient in self-directed learning. Students can examine the information they need to know in order to look for and use online resources, thanks to the digital education system. It significantly enhances their productivity, learning capacity, and efficiency.

14.3 Unlimited information

There is an abundance of information available on the internet, most of which is free to access. Students can now explore and exploit this knowledge vault because of the development of digital education. Before, students relied on a small number of information sources. Still, now that the digital education system is becoming more and more well-liked, the lack of the necessary information is no longer a barrier to learning.

14.4 High engagement learning

While the digital education system gives a broad variety of options for learning, the traditional education system has limited scope for involvement. Higher levels of student engagement are achieved during the interactive and digital-based learning sessions.

14.5 Ease of sharing

The modern digital education system is completely different from the old-fashioned old education system, which mainly relied on students keeping large, handwritten notebooks filled with knowledge that they learned from their teachers in class or through intensive research in the library. Students may now save a ton of time and effort by easily archiving and sharing material with just a click.

14.6 Accountability in students

The digital education system includes system-generated performance reports and real-time evaluation, which improves assessment openness. It gives students the ability to assess their own performance and find the necessary answers. The modern educational system encourages students to come out of their shells and develop autonomous thinkers who know what, when, and how to study. They are no longer reliant on having information spoon-fed to them by their parents and school.

14.7 The learning process becomes more time efficient

Teachers can better tailor instruction to meet the requirements of specific students.

Through digital learning, a digital mindset will enable students to continue adjusting to new technology for a very long time. Even when working remotely, learning can be accomplished.

15. Disadvantages of digital education

Educators worldwide still recognize some major issues plaguing digital education and how it affects learning [2, 9, 29].

15.1 Lacks social interaction

Due to the lack of face-to-face interaction with teachers and classmates, e-learning is one of the factors contributing to social isolation. Very little or no interaction occurs.

15.2 Inaccessible to others

If you live in a place with a quick and reliable internet connection, consider yourself fortunate. Unfortunately, some people’s access to the internet is quite constrained. It is really inconvenient for them that they have to use public Wi-Fi or go to internet cafes.

15.3 Cheating is unavoidable

Assessment is a part of e-learning, just like it is in a traditional classroom. However, no teachers or supervisors are present to keep an eye on students as they take their tests. Students will find it simple to share solutions since they know no one is looking.

15.4 Requires self-motivation and proper time management

In e-learning, students are essentially alone. Students must push themselves to focus on their studies, make notes, and learn more. Students will also need to learn how to balance studying with other activities like domestic chores or part-time employment as another aspect of time management.

15.5 Digital education focuses more on theory than practical

Students spend most of their time listening to podcasts, watching videos, and looking at slide presentations. There’s no hand-on experience like conducting experiments.

16. Conclusion

The modern educational system has been integrated with digital tools and techniques, which was introduced only a few years ago. With the application of digital tools in teaching activities, it is replacing traditional teaching methods across various institutions. There has been a lot of modern-day transformation to the classroom, and with it comes various changes like online lectures, examinations etc., which have aided in improving the quality of education across institutions and ensuring that the level of education matches the digital revolution of the twenty-first century. It has brought on new approaches to education with different roles for students, teachers, school administrations and even parents, enhancing participation in educational activities and more communication among all parties. Digital education has created several opportunities for teachers and students to advance their educational prowess. Mathematics is a clear example of a subject that digital education has simplified for students and teachers alike, making it more understandable and comprehensible with access to many supportive tools. Through various methods, including visual aids, individualized instruction, digital curriculum, and the provision of limitless information with comparatively easy access, digital education has introduced new experiences to the classroom and has raised the quality education. Creating a balance between the use of digital technology, educational application, and social interaction is the way to maximize the benefits of digital technology and minimize the limitations that come with it. So with this balance, digital technology can be applied to boost the educational standards of several institutions and groom more brilliant students that are productive to their community and better equipped to navigate through the modern digital world efficiently. Although a lot has been accomplished with digital education, there is still room for improvement to keep up with the ever-changing global technological advancements.