Nature's Special Issue on Learning in a Digital Age. (July 24, 2013)

Last week Nature made available one of its online special issues, this one in conjunction with Scientific American, entitled "Learning in a Digital Age". The editorial, contributed by the editors of Scientific American opens with: "Classrooms haven't changed much in the past few centuries. Students attend class, take notes and do their homework... [but] These routines are starting to change. In a small but growing number of schools, students watch lectures online and come to class prepared to tackle assignments and collaborate with teachers and peers... What is driving this digital revolution? One factor is that schools and universities are under greater pressure than ever before. More and more students are pursuing higher levels of education at a time when budget-strapped principals and universities cannot hire the staff they need... Many see technology as a solution. But skeptics think it improves little on what teachers can do and poses a threat to student privacy."

Below we reproduce the special issue's TOC. Click on the image above to access the special issue -- any or all of the articles.

Finally, here is a part tabulation of the Nature - Scientific American student comparison of MOOCs vs traditional courses.