LeaDS – Learning in a Digitalised Society

The research program addresses questions about how digitization changes the conditions for teaching and learning, as well as the competence of people and organizations to handle digital environments. Various methods are used to describe, analyze and understand how digitization affects learning at the individual, group and organizational level. Among other things,the research programme adresses how digital technology and media change processes for learning and knowledge development in society, and what consequences this development has on learning.

A starting point in the research programme is critical, ethical and sustainable development and use of information and communication technology and how it can add value to learning. LeaDS has three central themes: digitization and learning in school and preschool; digitization and learning in higher education as well as digitization and lifelong learning. The programme also links to the focus area Smart Cities and Communities and its area of strength The Smart Resident in Small and Medium-sized Cities.

Research questions

In the programme, following broadly formulated questions are addressed:

• How is the digitalisation of society changing the conditions for teaching and learning in schools, in higher education and in workplaces (industry and public sector)?
• How can digital technology be developed and used in educational environments and in other contexts to support learning, communication, and skills development?
• What processes and skills are required to manage a digitalised school, working life and society and how can these skills be described, analysed, and understood?
• What new learning opportunities are offered through the development and use of modern digital forms of interaction and automated systems based on artificial intelligence and machine learning?

Connection to focus area

The research program addresses the challenges of the digitalised society and aligns to the European Commission ambition of digital citizens and digital societies. The program is connected to focus area of Smart Cities and Communities (SCC) and the area of strength Smart Citizens and Communities, to support society in providing knowledge and solutions for creating and upholding smart, sustainable cities. Among the six dimensions identified in the focus area for designing the various aspects of addressing Smart cities within SCC, this research program combines three in particular; ”Environment, people and living”.

Within the program, in line with the strength of the focus area SCC, we address research issues on societal challenges with an interdisciplinary approach when we focus on dimensions of ”the smart city and its inhabitants”.