Abstract:

Research Topic:
Based on a study at two Norwegian universities, this article aimed to describe pre-service teachers’ experiences and perceptions - and identify their requests for a flexible digital learning space.

Learning is often associated with teaching or training, individual reading or searching the web, but social and constructivist approaches have emerged the last decades. The vast distribution of social media and rapid development of technology may create new and expanded flexible learning spaces. The digital transformation and the emergence of these digital learning spaces, call for more research on how a shared digital learning space in higher education can be developed (Bygstad, Øvrelid, Ludvigsen, & Dæhlen, 2022).

As teacher educators we have prepared for and offered courses online with lots of resources in digital learning environments. The technology has changed notions of place, time, and space. Space is no longer just physical; it incorporates the digital virtual spaces. We have to redefine our role as lecturers, moving from lecturing to orchestrating digital resources, with fewer lectures, and to act more as a facilitator of resources (Bygstad, Øvrelid, Ludvigsen, & Dæhlen, 2022).

Preliminary data from our research indicate that the students place themselves in both an individual and a social learning context. Such a division can help us to understand the students' needs and what consequences this has for how we create flexible digital learning spaces.

The aim of this article is to describe pre-service teachers’ experiences and perceptions - and identify their requests for a flexible digital learning space: What kind of learning spaces do our students ask for? And who do they need in there?

Theoretical Framework:
This study is framed in a socio-cultural learning paradigm where our culture, communicative and cognitive activities are closely connected to a social and collaborative context.

Methodology:
In June 2020, 18 pre-service teachers from two different universities in Norway were interviewed about their experiences with online covid-19-teaching and learning. This article is based on qualitative analyzes of these interviews.

Expected Findings:
Our analyses will describe how our informants experience and perceive their fully net based teacher education environments.
To answer our research questions regarding what kind of learning spaces our students ask for, and who do they need in there – the main issue for discussion will be related to: The pre-service students desire for both an individual and a social learning context.
Performing this research, we hope to contribute to knowledge on how a shared flexible digital learning space in teacher education can be developed.

References:
[1] Bygstad, B., Øvrelid, E., Ludvigsen, S., & Dæhlen, M. (2022). From dual digitalization to digital learning space: Exploring the digital transformation of higher education. Computers & Education, 182. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104463

Keywords:

Digital learning space, teacher education.