Relearning Research in the Information Age: A Strategy for Setting Students up for Success in Online Learning

Since the advent of the internet, distance education has been continually augmented by advancing technology that reshapes how students access learning materials. Internet users can be overwhelmed by the saturation of information, and tactics to survive the inundation raise valid concerns for effective learning retention in the online environment.

Much research done in the past 20 years on learning retention and digital texts has come to varying conclusions. There does not seem to be a strong consensus on whether learning retention in the digital environment is on par with learning retention in print media. Part of the reason for these varied conclusions is different research strategies. I would like to suggest that another reason is the great shift of technology from the early 2000s to today. For instance, the invention of the iPad or tablet in 2010 along with the Apple pen have moved digital texts into a comparable category to printed texts for annotation and consumption.

…the invention of the iPad or tablet in 2010 along with the Apple pen have moved digital texts into a comparable category to printed texts for annotation and consumption

In light of this continued movement of learning in the digital space, research strategies applicable in brick-and-mortar and print environments need to be adapted and taught for the online environment. As much as students need to be taught how to find the right books in a physical library, we must also teach our students where to go for reliable information online. We must not neglect to teach our students critical thinking skills when evaluating sources, or discerning which websites and databases will provide respectable material, as well as practical skills like an effective Google search. We must build with and for our students a foundation made of research skills which they can continue to adapt as technology continues to change, in order that they can effectively get to the core of their learning without being swept away by the seemingly endless data of the Information Age.