Engineering affordances for a new convergent paradigm of smart and sustainable learning technologies

Abstract

The proposed new paradigm for smart and sustainable learning technologies has been created from the notion of how and why smart thinking supports smart learning. Indeed, smart thinking has been pedagogically associated with the use of cognitive tools to assist deeper learning in the form of scaffolding in general and e-scaffolding in online environments. From this basis the idea of a smart learning technology has been linked to a sustainable learning technology in terms of its affordances and ability to evolve and converge. This idea has been developed from a sustainable change model built upon self-organizing systems related to useful and necessary evolutionary improvement. Finally, a new framework for smart sustainable learning technologies has been proposed. This paradigm maintains that a smart learning environment is supported by e-scaffolding interactive tools for the co-construction of knowledge, communication and interpersonal skills and reflective thinking skills, along with peer and self-assessment for learning. It can represent a convergent set of sustainable learning technologies such as eportfolios for learning and assessment.