When the tool changes but the learning model doesn't

Zgheib and Dabbagh (2020) warn of the danger of assuming that a new tool automatically creates a new kind of learning.  The authors discuss how faculty in their study used various social media tools like blogs, Twitter (now X), YouTube, and podcasts to support student learning.  Although this sounds innovative, the study found that in some cases, the tool changed while the basic learning model stayed the same.

This matters because a blog can become just another place to post an assignment or X can become just another participation checkbox. If students are not fully engaging by interacting, reflecting, creating, or even changing their thinking, then the technology is not really changing the learning experience.  It's just putting an old process in a newer package.

In casino or hospitality work, buying a new system doesn't automatically improve service.  A new system, platform, or training module only helps if it changes behavior and creates better outcomes.  Otherwise, it's just another screen employees have to log into.

I think education can fall into the same trap.  We may call something “social learning” because it uses social media, but if students are still working in isolation and only submitting work to the instructor, then the social part is mostly concept.

My biggest takeaway from this article is that instructional design has to come before tool selection. The question shouldn’t be, “What technology can I use?” The better question is, “What do I want learners to do differently?”  If that answer isn’t clear, the tool may look sleek, but the learning model is still standing still.

References

Zgheib, G. E., & Dabbagh, N. (2020). Social media learning activities (SMLA): Implications for design. Online Learning, 24(1), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i1.1967


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