The role of digital technology in facilitating epistemic fluency in professional education

Abstract

The proliferation of digital tools in higher education has resulted in newpossibilities for students’ professional learning and development.Consequently, there is a need for more knowledge regarding the practicalincorporation of digital technology in professional learning designs, therationale behind their selection, and the perceived advantages and dis-advantages of their use. In this paper, we discuss findings froma qualitative case study of two academic subjects selected from profes-sional study programmes at Norwegian higher education institutions:occupational therapy and nautical studies. Deploying a constant com-parative method of analysis inspired by a grounded theory approach, wediscuss how the integration of digital technology in professional learningdesigns may facilitate students’ professional learning and development.By exploring the data material and connecting the findings to existingliterature and theory on professional learning, we show how the thought-ful integration and use of digital technology into a professional learningdesign may open up new ways of fostering epistemic fluency in futureprofessionals. By focusing on the suitability – rather than the advanced-ness – of the technology, integrated into a reflective and holistic learningdesign, the use of technology may facilitate the development of epistemicfluency both within and outside a situated professional context.