Sustainable Digital Education: Innovations in Teaching and Learning

Dear Colleagues,

Unlike previous advancements in information and communication technology (ICT), which have often failed to meet transformative expectations, digital technologies or AI can personalize learning experiences, cater to individual needs, and enhance engagement in sustainability education. Systems can analyze student interactions, adapt to unique learning trajectories, and provide timely feedback, thereby fostering cognitive development and self-regulation skills (Grassini, 2023).

While much of the existing research has focused on higher education and secondary schooling, there is a pressing need to explore the implications of digital technologies in the early childhood and primary education settings. This Special Issue aims to investigate how integrating digital technologies and technological innovations can benefit young learners in preschool, kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and higher education environments. We seek to uncover the impact of these advancements on fostering environmental awareness, critical thinking, and collaborative skills among students.

Contributions may include studies similar to those conducted by Byers and Hartnell-Young (2018), which highlight the differences in student engagement and learning outcomes between AI-supported and conventional teaching strategies. We encourage submissions that explore comprehensive education and training models that incorporate needs analysis, innovative education programs, and online education that leverages digital technologies. Additionally, as has been explored in the recent literature (Nguyen et al., 2023), also welcome are discussions on the ethical considerations of digital technologies or AI in education—particularly regarding sustainability, equity, and access.

Also, contributions may include studies on digital competencies of students and educators: Assessing the impact of instructional technologies tools on developing digital literacy skills among students and enhancing educators’ capabilities to integrate technology effectively into their teaching practices. Analyzing how educational technologies can create seamless and context-aware learning experiences that transcend traditional classroom boundaries, enabling learning anytime and anywhere. Empirical research on effective teaching practices using digital technology: highlighting studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of teaching with digital technologies, including gamification and adaptive learning technologies, in improving educational outcomes.

This Special Issue is open to contributions from a wide range of disciplines, methodologies, and educational levels. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to:

• Intelligent tutoring systems for learning and teaching;
• Automatic evaluation systems and intelligent agents;
• Active methodologies in hybrid and virtual learning environments;
• Digital competencies of students and educators;
• Ubiquitous learning and disruptive educational experiences in digital contexts;
• Empirical research on effective teaching practices using digital technology;
• Digital transformation in education aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• The role of AI technologies in education: AI technologies are increasingly transforming educational practices by providing innovative solutions that enhance teaching effectiveness and learning experiences.

References

Byers, T., Imms, W., & Hartnell-Young, E. (2018). Comparative analysis of the impact of traditional versus innovative learning environment on student attitudes and learning outcomes. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 58, 167-177.

Grassini, S. (2023). Shaping the future of education: exploring the potential and consequences of AI and ChatGPT in educational settings. Education Sciences, 13(7), 692.

Nguyen, A., Ngo, H. N., Hong, Y., Dang, B., & Nguyen, B. P. T. (2023). Ethical principles for artificial intelligence in education. Education and Information Technologies, 28(4), 4221-4241.

Prof. Dr. Murat Tezer
Dr. Ezgi Pelin Yıldız
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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.

• digital technologies
• educational and instructional technologies
• online learning
• artificial intelligence (AI) technologies
• AI in education
• ChatGPT
• AI and technological innovations