The future of learning: How digital pedagogy is developing elementary education
By: Fadhly Harahap
In the age of technology, it’s no surprise that digital tools and resources are playing an increasingly important role in education. Schools and educators are finding new ways to use technology to enhance learning experiences and outcomes from online course platforms to virtual reality simulations. But what does the right now and future of learning look like, and how is digital pedagogy shaping the way we teach and learn in elementary schools? Here, I will write down the results of an interview with Mrs.Rara, the teacher of an elementary in Yogyakarta about the role of digital pedagogy in learning.
Mrs. Rara is an elementary school teacher. She has been an elementary school teacher since mid-2020. We can say that she taught during the COVID-19 pandemic, when all activities had to be changed from offline to online, including school. In this interview, I asked several questions regarding the influence of digital pedagogy on learning from the pandemic until now.
Mrs. Rara said that since there was online learning, like it or not we have to use digital pedagogy to continue learning. If we do not adapt to the situation, it is certain that elementary school students will be left behind. However, in its use, digital pedagogy must use technology such as laptops, computers, and the simplest is mobile phones. Moreover, there are some parents of students who still don’t understand how to use it.
However, over time, digital pedagogy has become a habit until now, even though learning is face-to-face, digital pedagogy is still used for effective learning. such as the use of google classroom for teachers to upload learning materials so that they are neatly arranged, then in the classroom, the teacher uses YouTube media for learning.
Mrs. Rara said that YouTube is the learning media most often used after WhatsApp for communication. An example is for arts and culture lessons he shows videos of people dancing which then students can watch and then learn about, which later students can imitate and practice.
So behind the occurrence of the Pandemic which resulted in schools having to go online, there is a positive side, namely the existence of digital pedagogy which really helps develop education in elementary education. I believe the development of digital pedagogy will increase and help develop elementary education for the better.
