Digital disruption or opportunity: experts discuss the future of education
On 10 December, the Digital Futures Institute hosted an online discussion on the Digital Futures of Education, bringing together experts across academia and industry to examine how technology is reshaping learning, teaching and society.
Upper row, left to right: Dr Sara Black, Dr Michael Marcinkowski. Lower row: Mark Lester, Dr Felix Kwihangana, Professor Sara de Freitas. Screenshot of the event recording
The panel, chaired by Dr Michael Marcinkowski, Director of Education at the Digital Futures Institute, began by grappling with the fundamental question of education’s purpose in an era defined by digital disruption.
Dr Felix Kwihangana, Senior Lecturer in Transnational Education at King’s Academy, argued that education is a sector in crisis, and one that is still searching for direction: ‘We could say that we are a sector in crisis in many ways – crisis, some of which is created by the technologies we are using to deliver education, but also because of the societal transformations that lead us to question what our societies are for, and if we try to figure out that, then education would finally find its rightful place in that society.’
Education is a sector that is still in the process of finding its purpose in the digital age because society demands that we figure that out, whether it is figuring out the role that education plays in supporting the vulnerable, supporting the youth, in making the opportunities accessible to everyone – in other words, the value that education is bringing to our societies.
Dr Felix Kwihangana, Senior Lecturer (AEP) in Transnational Education, King’s Academy
Dr Sara Black, Lecturer in Education and Society at King’s, emphasised that technology should not redefine what it means to be educated. She warned that digital platforms can give a false sense of agency, making users feel empowered while quietly restricting their choices.
We are often more objects of our technology than subjects. We are often more being subjected to the affordances and limitations imposed upon us by technology rather than being the creators of those limitations and possibilities. Technology that we use particularly, but not only, in education, gives us a false sense of agency, a sense that we are acting, but we are not actually changing the things that matter to us.
Dr Sara Black, Lecturer in Education and Society
From an industry standpoint, Mark Lester, Chief Partnerships Officer at FourthRev, warned that AI is already reshaping the skills landscape faster than education systems can adapt. He cautioned that learners may start over‑relying on AI tools. ‘You can't prompt your way to intelligence,’ he remarked, stressing that technology must deepen critical thinking, instead of replacing it. Employers, according to Mark Lester, need to quickly upskill and reskill their people.
The imperative from companies to close the digital gap is very high; otherwise, they would be out of business. They are definitely looking to the education sector to help them in that migration. [...] We're working with King's and with others to co-develop programs with industry to specifically address those needs and do practical projects that genuinely assess their capability to deliver results for companies, but also have that critical thinking skill and reflective practice that we know is so important.
Mark Lester, Chief Partnerships Officer at FourthRev
Professor Sara de Freitas, CEO of edtech startup Weypoint, pointed to the long‑term ‘quiet revolution’ in teaching and learning. Accelerated by digital tools, it led to blended learning, immersive and interactive learning environments, project‑based assessments and more active learning approaches. Digital transformation, and especially AI, is driving demand for lifelong learning – and we have more capability and tools to offer that than ever before.
Professor Sara de Freitas argued for rebalancing the curriculum to leave more space for personal development, social learning, discussion and dialogue, and skills development. She stressed that educators must respond to shifting student attention shaped by digital media, embracing interactive and immersive methods that meet today’s learners where they are.
We need to be able to adapt to changing learners. With social media, with so much happening with the attention of students, we need to find ways to excite them, to make them want to come into the classroom and engage.
Professor Sara de Freitas, CEO and Director at Weypoint
The recording of the Digital Futures of Education is available here.
