Utilizing digital learning technology to enhance 21st century skills: Case study in mathematics

Abstract

The exponential rates of technology advancement, like it or not, happy or unhappy, demands changing in various fields that including education. Although it is relatively slow compared to the industrial revolution, the world of education currently invites every academic community to get out of the comfort zone and dare to try new things by utilizing technology, both in digitizing the administrative system or supporting the learning process. A lecturer is expected not only to share knowledge, which can be found on the internet, but to improve the skills needed by students in the 21st century. This 21st century skills include critical thinking / problem solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity. For basic sciences, such as mathematics, many lecturers are still teaching in the conventional way (there must need books, whiteboards, and markers). Admittedly this method may no longer be interesting for today’s students. In this paper, we share our experiences using technology in supporting the learning process over the past two years. Despite of many obstacles and challenges, we are quite sure that the use of this technology can support a more systematic, interactive, and right on target learning process. One of the advantages using technology is that lecturers are no longer merely a source of knowledge but students can learn independently and have more in-depth experience during the learning process. Through this paper, we also hope that our activities can provide new ideas for other lecturers to make changes from conventional methods to more modern ways by utilizing technology.