From Chalkboards to Clickbait: The Evolution of Online Learning
The landscape of educational technology has evolved dramatically over the past few years (decades?!?!), shaping how educators and learners interact with content, collaborate, and construct knowledge. Reading about the development of Learning Management Systems (LMS), blogs, Open Educational Resources (OER), video, and Web 2.0 in 25 Years of Ed Tech has made me appreciate both the promise and the challenges of these technologies. Each of these innovations has transformed learning environments, but their adoption has not always been straightforward. Here are my reflections on their impact and ongoing relevance.
Learning Management Systems: The Backbone or a Bottleneck?
The Learning Management System (LMS) is often regarded as the foundational tool of digital education. As a centralized system for course management, it brought much-needed organization to online learning. However, its institutional nature has also led to criticism—often limiting creativity and innovation due to its rigid structures. While it has enabled large-scale e-learning adoption, the LMS can sometimes feel like a restrictive administrative tool rather than a space for dynamic, learner-centred engagement. Perhaps the future lies in finding more flexible, modular alternatives that support personalized learning pathways.
Some popular LMS include D2L BrightSpace, Canvas, Blackboard, docebo, and the open source Moodle.
Blogs: From Personal Journals to Scholarly Identity
The rise of blogging in education highlighted the potential for reflective practice and public scholarship. Early educational bloggers used these platforms to extend discussions beyond the classroom, create professional learning communities, and establish an academic identity. Even today, blogging remains a vital space for knowledge-sharing (like what we are doing here), yet its role has been overshadowed by social media platforms. As I reflect on its trajectory, I wonder: could a return to independent blogging counterbalance the nature of social media discourse?
Open Educational Resources: A Step Toward Democratizing Education
The concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) is one of the most exciting yet complex developments in education. By making high-quality learning materials freely available, OER has the potential to bridge equity gaps and increase access to education worldwide. However, adoption remains inconsistent, often hindered by institutional barriers and concerns about sustainability. The reading reinforced my belief that for OER to truly fulfill its promise, we must focus on increasing awareness, improving discoverability, and ensuring proper instructional support for their use.
Video: The Power of Visual Learning
The integration of video into education has arguably been one of the most transformative shifts in digital learning. The emergence of platforms like YouTube enabled educators to produce and share instructional videos at scale, making complex concepts more accessible. Flipped classrooms and video-based learning have reshaped traditional teaching models, yet questions remain about screen fatigue and the need for active learning strategies. As video continues to dominate educational content, we must ask: How do we balance engagement with cognitive overload?
Web 2.0: Interactivity and the Social Web
Web 2.0 marked a turning point by emphasizing user-generated content, collaboration, and social interaction. This shift allowed educators and students to engage in participatory learning, leveraging wikis, social media, and other interactive platforms. Yet, as the reading highlights, the enthusiasm for Web 2.0 also came with challenges—particularly around data privacy, misinformation, and the corporatization of educational spaces. While Web 2.0 brought new opportunities for engagement, it also raised critical questions about the ethics of technology in education.
The transition from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 in education shifts from interactive, user-generated content to decentralized, AI-driven, and personalized learning experiences, enhancing autonomy, data ownership, and adaptive learning.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on these technological advancements, I am struck by the tension between innovation and institutional constraints. While each of these tools has revolutionized learning in its own way, their success depends on thoughtful implementation, pedagogical alignment, and ongoing critical examination. As we continue to integrate technology into education, we should remain mindful of both its affordances and limitations, ensuring that it enhances—rather than hinders—the learning experience.
References:
The Wall Street Journal. (2022, February 15). Why some see Web 3.0 as the future of the internet | WSJ [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEJGQD1OuKA
Weller, M. (2020). 25 years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press. https://www.aupress.ca/books/120290-25-years-of-ed-tech/