Reflecting on Class Presentations: Pedagogies in the Digital Age

Tonight's class consisted of four group assignments. The groups explored various pedagogies that aligned with a digital tool to address their problem of practice. A key takeaway for me was the diversity of pedagogical frameworks that can be meaningfully integrated with digital tools. It was apparent, and supported by evidence, that digital tools should not be considered merely as add-ons in lectures, but rather, they can enable deeper engagement, collaboration, and personalization. 

One concept in particular stood out to me: the idea of adaptive learning. Digital tools, when thoughtfully integrated, can support an adaptive learning environment, where the material being taught is presented in a manner that responds to students' individual needs, pacing, and progress. This brought to mind the concept of adaptive expertise, which has become a foundation of the university program in which I teach. Adaptive learning can support the development of adaptive expertise, which contrasts with routine expertise (Verschaffel et al., 2009). The following chart contrasts routine and adaptive expertise (Verschaffel et al., 2009). 


Routine ExpertiseAdaptive Expertise
DefinitionAbility to efficiently and accurately apply well-practiced knowledge and skills to familiar problems.Ability to apply knowledge flexibly and creatively in new situations.
FocusAccuracy, speed, and consistency.Creativity, problem-solving, and learning.
Knowledge UseApplies known solutions to known problems.Develops or creates innovative solutions for complex problems.
Learning OrientationLearning to perform tasks efficiently through practice and repetition.Learning to learn and adapt continuously through reflection, experimentation, and feedback.
Response to ChangeStruggles with unexpected or novel situations.Thrives in dynamic, uncertain environments.
ExampleA teacher who delivers the same lesson plan every year.A teacher who adapts methods to meet diverse student needs.


In healthcare education, the emphasis needs to be on building adaptive expertise.  As educators, fostering adaptive expertise means designing learning experiences that encourage students to think critically, solve novel problems, and apply their learning across diverse contexts (Verschaffel et al., 2009).

As I reflect on today’s session, I am left with a renewed appreciation for the role of pedagogy in guiding our use of technology. Tools will continue to evolve, but it’s our pedagogical choices that determine whether they truly enhance learning. 

A modern, realistic classroom with diverse students using laptops and tablets in collaborative and independent learning activities. An interactive whiteboard displays a personalized learning dashboard. The teacher facilitates rather than lectures, and the environment reflects adaptive learning with visual cues like branching learning paths and real-time feedback. The setting is bright, welcoming, and designed to support critical thinking and innovation.
(Microsoft Copilot, 2025)

Reference

Microsoft Copilot. (2025). Realistic digital classroom scene with adaptive learning and technology integration [AI-generated image]. Microsoft Copilot.

Verschaffel, L., Luwel., K., Torbeyns, J., & Van Dooren, W. (2009). Conceptualizing, investigating, and enhancing adaptive expertise in elementary mathematics education. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24(3), 335-359. 

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