The report is an attempt to reposition the narrative of digital learning away from “look, my cool new technology does this” to something more like “here’s what we know from research and here’s what we can extrapolate”.

Innovation is a bunnies and kittens type of concept – who could possibly oppose it? Sometimes new is not better, especially when it impacts the lives of people. Remember the failure of Udacity and San Jose State University project? Even passing familiarity with research in learning sciences could have anticipated the need for scaffolded social support. Instead, a large number of at-risk-students had yet another blow delivered to their confidence as learners, further entrenching negative views of their capability to success in university. This is bad innovation. It hurts people while it gains media accolades and draws VC funding. With our report, we are hoping to address exactly this type of failure by providing a research lens on how technology and learning are related in various contexts. (Source http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2015/04/30/preparing-for-the-digital-university/

Five articles are included in the report and provide an overview of research literature, while a final article looks at future technology infrastructure :

• Distance education
• Blended learning
• Online learning
• Credentialing
• MOOC research
• Future learning technology infrastructures