Educational Technologies for Hybrid Learning Contexts: A Grid of 12 Technological Communication Tools

Abstract

The mission of the university goes beyond contributing to society with the results of its research and innovation. Its scope is prompting and supporting young people to gain new knowledge while encouraging them to consider/include forms of social engagement. Then, it is crucial for teachers to engage students in the learning process. Students use technology to communicate; thus, they are more likely and comfortable to participate in a technology-driven environment. This purpose could be pursued through the correct choice of educational technologies within the learning environments. Communication technologies have the potential to engage learners while also providing motivation and support for both teaching and learning. This paper focuses on the definition of educational technologies and on the description of a grid of 12 technologies that were chosen based on the research activities undertaken in doctoral research at the Politecnico di Milano. Subsequently, the technologies are classified through different mappings and methodologies to produce a description showing advantages, disadvantages, and contexts of use. Finally, it analyses the technologies from the point of view of 2 learning contexts, on-site and online, to help create new hybrid learning processes.