Utilizing the affordances of digital learning materials

Abstract

Due to the all-pervasive digital transformation of education, learning materials have developed considerably in terms of their form, function and content over recent decades. This development from print-based to digital formats carries with it a corresponding transformation of materiality that may not be apparent, yet plays an important role in shaping contemporary learning environments. Obviously, this transfor- mation is of relevance for the design of learning materials and has implications for how we assess and study digital learning materials. However, the process of designing learning materials with a view to uti- lizing the many possibilities of contemporary digital technologies is no trivial task. Consequently, a focal point in the study of learning materials must concern the utilization of these new possibilities. For that purpose, we develop a framework for analyzing digital learning materials based on the notion of affordance. We use this framework to study how six courses from a widely used digital form of Danish L1 learning material integrate different kinds of affordances into their learning designs. Based on the results of our analysis, we also discuss the implications of this material transformation.