Supporting Learner Engagement in Technology-Rich Environments

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, on ‘Supporting Learner Engagement in Technology-Rich Environments’, focuses on learners across the age range—whether learners are in primary, secondary, further, vocational, tertiary or lifelong education. Over the last four decades, digital technologies have continued to enable learning practices to be adapted, added to and developed in a range of ways. The Internet has enabled wide access to courses and to specific details of interest, shifting search patterns for many learners. Video conferencing platforms have enabled remote learners to gain access at times and in places to suit their situations. Mobile devices have supported learning outside classrooms and in locations of a learner’s choice.

Emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual and augmented realities, continue to offer opportunities that can support learners and learning in different and additional ways. Some learners using these forms of digital technologies are experiencing important supplementary opportunities, such as being able to practice and develop specific industrial, commercial, language, dental or health skills and competencies in safe and secure environments, gaining rapid feedback and forward support.

It is important that research draws out how existing and emerging digital technologies are supporting the engagement of learners and learning, especially for those who may not have had opportunities to engage easily or previously. This Special Issue seeks research articles that highlight these opportunities and outcomes. Articles should align with the aims and scope of the journal Education Sciences, which are detailed here: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education/about.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• How far learner engagement is supported by a specific digital technology;
• Forms of learner engagement that are specifically supported by digital technologies and those that are not;
• How outcomes from learner engagement are identified or assessed in technology-rich environments;
• Whether wider groups or individuals are now able to engage in learning, perhaps for the first time or more easily;
• Whether emerging digital technologies enhance learning engagement opportunities for learners who have previously found it difficult to engage;
• How the width of digital technologies in technology-rich environments need to be implemented, developed or managed to support wider learner engagement;
• Gaps in the current literature that detail ‘Supporting Learner Engagement in Technology-Rich Environments’.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Don Passey
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.