Channeling Digital Convergence in Education for Societal Benefit [Commentary

Abstract

ICTs have emerged as instruments of social interaction. Their extraordinary influence permeates all human affairs, and their revolutionary impact affects the way people live, work, and learn, as well as the way governments, private organizations, and citizens relate. It is evident that the impact of ICT already permeates all educational endeavors. This impact, in our view, is further enhanced by the emergence and adoption of digital convergence. In this exploratory approach, the authors delineate elements for digital convergence adoption that are not limited to a merely technological perspective. They conceptualize digital convergence as a process in which technology coevolves with other disciplines, creating a dynamic system where human interaction is essential. In this perspective, digital convergence adoption in educational contexts goes far beyond the use of ICT in everyday educational activities. Cultural, social, ethical, and economic elements interact and become crucial ingredients in a new setting where collaboration and cooperation emerge as essential for the training of new generations of ICT professionals.