This chapter explores the theory underpinning qualitative methods, namely semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and issues of methodological coherence in adopting a digital approach. We offer an in-depth exploration of the practical considerations of adopting digital methods. This includes the challenges of building a rapport with the participant, familiarity with technology for both researcher and participant, scheduling, and data protection issues. We explore pertinent ethical considerations, including institutional approval, informed consent, confidentiality, and the ongoing ethical responsibilities of the researcher engaged in qualitative research. We draw upon our experiences of using synchronous online videoconferencing platforms to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups, integrating our reflections throughout. Whilst necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the associated need for social distancing and the potential for further regional restrictions, we argue that digital methods transcend the current global situation, offering opportunities to facilitate qualitative research that may extend beyond geographical borders, attenuate fiscal limitations, and enable greater collaboration between researchers.

This chapter surveys the economic, cultural, and political factors that transformed the Cuban audiovisual landscape beginning in 1989, elucidating the multiple challenges tackled by filmmakers: material shortages, intermittent censorship, and a sometimes tense relationship with the official Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC). The chapter demonstrates that, in this richly inventive period, films of all length and genres, drawing on multiple media and replete with Cuban versions of manga, gangsters, and zombies, not only questioned what constitutes state-sponsored, independent, national, or transnational filmmaking, but also carried out a revision of Cuban history into contemporary everyday life. Key factors illuminated include the mentoring role assumed by seasoned director Fernando Pérez; the emergence of women filmmakers for the first time since director Sara Gómez (1942–1974); the entrepreneurial deployment of new technologies; the hybridity of local, international, official, and nonofficial funding sources; the diversification of constituencies and locales represented; and the critical importance of ICAIC’s annual Muestra Joven, or Festival of Young Cuban Filmmakers.

This chapter will explore the use of digital technologies to develop psychomotor procedures when learning with our bodies. This includes the use of video, images and annotations to practise technique or strategy in physical education, such as improving a cricket bowling technique, or to review and analyse team performance and gameplay following a match. It could be using video or audio to develop musical instrument technique or to improve public speaking or other acting or speaking skills in drama. It could be used to develop choreography or dance technique, or to practice speaking a new language. Psychomotor procedures are also involved in learning to form letters when writing and acquiring the manual skill of typing.

This chapter begins with a theory-based explanation of psychomotor procedures and how they are incorporated in some of the key models of knowledge such as Bloom’s Taxonomy and Marzano and Kendall’s New Taxonomy. It then considers how you can use digital tools to develop psychomotor procedures in curriculum subjects.

This chapter focuses on information knowledge (also known as declarative or ‘what’ knowledge) and looks at how digital tools can be used to learn information. It considers how extended reality, gamification and simulations are used for learning and teaching, and explores why and how digital technologies are used in inquiry-based learning, in particular, challenge-based learning.

Given the dynamic changing nature of knowledge, educators need to appreciate that learning and teaching theories can help them to conceptualise their use of digital technologies to support learning and teaching. This chapter will highlight the main learning and teaching theories that educators can draw upon to help them understand or inform their pedagogical approaches when using digital technologies in their classroom. The chapter is not meant to be a comprehensive review of major learning theories used in education, though it is intended to be a useful guide to help pre-service educators and beginning educators make the link between the use of digital technologies and a number of the learning theories that exist.

Additionally, the chapter will challenge you to understand how the influence of personal experience plays a large role on the pedagogical approaches that educators either consciously or subconsciously apply within our classrooms. The main focus of this chapter will highlight how digital technologies are used to support learning and teaching in consideration of these theoretical underpinnings.

The constantly changing nature of digital technologies opens opportunities to improve established approaches and to seek out new approaches. And although these opportunities stem from new technologies, they are translated to action by innovative educators and leaders. Hence all educators need to be innovators.

This chapter begins by explaining why educators need to see themselves as learners and innovators. It then conceptualises the nature of change in education settings for the purpose of understanding how best to respond. After which, it explores a range of professional development and learning models, and then considers the nature of innovation. It provides insight and tips that you will be able use to enact your role as an innovator.

In addition to knowledge of information (details and organising ideas), students also need to develop the skills and processes needed to complete mental tasks, for example, how to do long division, how to read a map and how to write in a specific genre. This domain of knowledge is called mental procedures. Mental procedures are learned through practice and are executed when needed to complete a task. Mental procedures occur inside a person’s brain. Educators use pedagogies to help students to learn these procedures and, once learned, to activate and facilitate this mode of thinking. This chapter will focus on how digital technologies can be used to support these pedagogies while also exploring some new opportunities.

This chapter begins by explaining mental procedures domain of knowledge. After using the TPACK model (see Chapter 3) to highlight the importance of intentionally using digital technologies, it then explores how they can be used to develop mental procedures and to guide student’s when using mental procedures.

Learning is a process. It takes time and often involves a degree of challenge. But how do students know that their learning is progressing? How do they identify ways to improve their learning? How do educators know whether the strategies and activities that they are using are helping students? This is the role of assessment – it helps students and educators to gauge progress and identify opportunities for improvement.

In Chapters 5, 6 and 7 we explored how to use digital technologies in the learning and teaching of the three domains of knowledge. In this chapter, we will close the loop by focusing on assessment and how digital technologies can help. We will start by considering the important role of assessment in learning and teaching. Following this, we will explore how to capture evidence of learning, assess learning and provide feedback using digital technologies. The chapter will conclude by exploring how to store and analyse assessment data using digital technologies.

This chapter considers the opportunities for students to explore interests, such as independent learning and personal projects, eSports and interest groups, such as maker spaces and coding clubs. It then looks at the changing roles for students and educators in which you are all co-learning–you as the educator do not need to be the expert.

In Chapter 9 we considered how to support student wellbeing in the digital space, and how to develop eSafety and digital citizenship. In this chapter, we will consider the implications of your professional digital image or identity and how it impacts upon your role as an educator who actively uses digital technologies. We will also discuss your responsibilities as an educator in developing student digital literacy skills, even if access to technology is limited. Additionally, we will explore strategies to overcome these limitations as well as considering educators’ responsibilities to communicate with students’ parents or carers, and how digital tools can help facilitate this communication.

The first chapter considers the value of and opportunities with digital technologies, and how they can be used as tools and environments for learning. It talks about the importance of being agentic and using digital tools with purpose. The use of digital tools to develop 21st-century skills in students is discussed and there is an overview of the curriculum and policy mandates for the use of digital technologies, including development of the general capability of digital literacies.

As we have noted in Chapter 1, digital technologies have the potential to enhance learning and teaching and it is within this context that we see digital technologies as also being an important part of many learning environments. This chapter builds on the nature of learning and teaching in Chapter 2 and the models and frameworks presented in Chapter 3 to highlight the importance of learning and teaching environments and the role that digital technologies play in these environments. The chapter will start with an overview of learning environments, followed by how digital technologies and circumstances (e.g. COVID-19) have expanded traditional understandings of learning environments and driven the need for digital transformation. Practical examples and spotlights will be used to explore how some of the more traditional spaces have changed.

This chapter introduces you to foundational knowledge regarding frameworks and models which is applied in later chapters. Theoretical models and frameworks serve as the ‘connective tissue that meshes theory and practice’. The chapter presents an overview of some of the most pertinent models and frameworks that can support you in designing lessons or learning experiences that incorporate digital technologies. It also highlights how you can reflect on the integration of technology into your teaching.

This chapter begins with models of educator knowledge, TPACK and the UNESCO ICT model, followed by the WHO workflow that helps you plan for using digital technologies in learning. The chapter also examines models and frameworks for considering the degree of integration of technology into teaching (SAMR and RAT/PICRAT) and concludes with educator acceptance models (TAM and CBAM).

This chapter explores your role in supporting student digital citizenship and wellbeing. It will consider how digital technologies can be used to support students’ growth as a person and digital citizen, including developing 21st-century skills. It will unpack your responsibilities to help students to develop life skills and behave in a safe and ethical manner at the intersection of the digital and non-digital worlds. The approaches you adopt in supporting students need to be age appropriate and the strategies could vary across year levels and therefore, the early childhood, primary and secondary years will be addressed separately, though, at times, you will note some overlap in the approaches and strategies. A later chapter, Chapter 11, will investigate your personal role and work in the digital world, related to your personal digital identity and how using the affordances of digital technologies can support you in your work, for example, when engaging with and supporting families.