AASLD Educating and Engaging in the Digital Age: Editorial from Communications and Technology Committee.

Abstract

When was the last time you opened a textbook? When was the last time you read a paper journal? For many people in this digital age, these occurrences are happening less frequently. Gone are the days of medical students filling their white coats pockets with handbooks, textbooks, and flashcards and alternatively, learners are now adept at using smartphones and digital devices to obtain information. According to reports, 5.19 billion people, or 67% of the world's population accesses the internet through a mobile phone. Around the world, people spend an average of 6 hours and 43 minutes on the internet each day, and as of January 2020 access from mobile devices exceeded 50%. As the people receive more and more information from the internet and mobile phones, the processing demands on the brain increase daily. Sweller described this phenomenon, called the cognitive load theory, as the ability of working memory to effectively process information. He further explained that when information is not presented in an intuitive, organized manner, there is a risk of overwhelming the cognitive load for the learner. Using these principles, the AASLD has reimagined the AASLD.org website, the AASLD Journals app, and LiverLearning® to optimize the learning and gathering of information for its members.