Research through the Generations: Reflecting on the Past, Present and Future

The paper provides a reflection on the past and present of research on the use of digital technologies for learning, teaching and research, along with an extrapolation of the future of the field. It considers which technologies have been transformative in the last thirty years or so along with the nature of the transformation and the challenges. Research in the field is grouped into three types: pedagogical, technical and organizational. The emergence and nature of digital learning as a field is considered. Six facets of digital learning, and in particular digital technologies, as a research field are described: the good and the bad of digital technologies, the speed of change, the new forms of discourse and collaboration, the importance of understanding users, the new practices that have emerged, and finally a reflection on the wider impact.  The paper provides a reflection on the past and present of research on the use of digital technologies for learning, teaching and research, along with an extrapolation of the future of the field. It considers which technologies have been transformative in the last thirty years or so along with the nature of the transformation and the challenges. Research in the field is grouped into three types: pedagogical, technical and organizational. The emergence and nature of digital learning as a field is considered. Six facets of digital learning, and in particular digital technologies, as a research field are described: the good and the bad of digital technologies, the speed of change, the new forms of discourse and collaboration, the importance of understanding users, the new practices that have emerged, and finally a reflection on the wider impact.