ISSN: 3069-2059
Opinion
Ubiquitous Learning in Higher Education in Chile: Educational Evolution or Disruption?
DOI : To be assigned
Miguel Angel Vilches Silva
Universidad Catolica del Maule, Chile
Corresponding Author
Miguel Angel Vilches Silva, Universidad Catolica del Maule, Chile
Keywords
Digitalization; Globalization; Ubiquitous learning; Reengineering
Opinion
Ubiquitous learning has become a critical component of contemporary higher education, where access to technology and the need for flexible training are increasingly relevant, the integration of digital technologies in educational processes allows for more dynamic and accessible learning spaces. With the increasing digitalization and globalization of education, the question arises as to whether ubiquitous learning is a mere adaptation to a new socio-educational environment or a logical evolution of traditional educational practices. As such, education must evolve to meet the demands of the 21 century, which implies a critical review of our methodologies. st Methodologically, the theme was based on a comparative approach that allows analyzing similarities and differences in the disruption of ubiquitous learning in Chilean university education, highlighting a special emphasis on the reengineering of the educational system. Since the emergence of the phenomenon, several key questions have emerged to deepen with respect to educational models that could include, such as: How are teaching strategies reformulated to integrate learning anywhere and at any time? What competencies should teachers develop to facilitate learning that transcends the classroom? How can equity in access to digital educational resources be guaranteed among all students? How is the university curriculum adapted to incorporate informal and unstructured learning experiences? What assessment is required to measure the impact of ubiquitous learning on students’ academic outcomes? The summarized questions are essential to assess the effectiveness of educational models in the face of the transformation driven by globalization, the technological revolution, the explosion of information and the need for more effective and flexible learning. In Chile, it is noteworthy that only 2.9% of the total enrollment in the university education system is online or hybrid, characteristics that in comparison with countries such as Brazil, Australia and the United States that have significantly greater expression. However, it was since 2019, with the phenomenon of the social outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, that this situation abruptly changed. This was made clear, when implementing ministerial guidelines on education and health, they abruptly imposed the implementation of online and hybrid classes in the education system. This situation meant that educational institutions quickly adapted to new ways of teaching and learning, encouraging the use of digital technologies that allow students to access knowledge at different times and places. During the development of the social outbreak with its demonstrations, all university classes were suspended between October 2019 and March 2020 due to the threat of the current constitutional guarantees, a situation that at the same time posed a challenge for the continuity of educational learning and service in universities. The urgency of maintaining the educational process in a context of social crisis led to an acceleration in the adoption, implementation and evaluation of technological tools, and hybrid or online learning environments. Subsequently, once the political and social environment had calmed down, it was thought that the return to face-to-face learning could give a boost to traditional education, however, the arrival of COVID-19 gave rise to a completely different context. Thus, the pandemic forced us to rethink teaching modalities, establishing a framework for ubiquitous learning, where the “simultaneity” of access to education legally became a norm and curricular implied the increasing integration of information flows and activities into the institutional exercise of the university.