IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2014 - 29

COMMENTARY

ARTURO
SERRANOSANTOYO

MAYER R.
CABRERA-FLORES

Channeling Digital Convergence
in Education for Societal Benefit

he advent of the information revolution has
led to the digitalization of society, affecting
virtually all of its concerns. The interaction
between digitalization and the globalization
of the planet has created a convergence with technological, social, and cultural implications. We argue that
viewing the interaction of digitalization, globalization, and convergence within a framework of service
to society may provide a foundation for formulating
information and communication technology (ICT)
core curricula with human development and community prosperity as central objectives.
ICTs have emerged as instruments of social interaction. Their extraordinary influence permeates all
human affairs, and their revolutionary impact affects
the way people live, work, and learn, as well as the way
governments, private organizations, and citizens relate.
It is evident that the impact of ICT already permeates all educational endeavors. This impact, in our view,
is further enhanced by the emergence and adoption
of digital convergence. In this exploratory approach,
we delineate elements for digital convergence adoption that are not limited to a merely technological
perspective. We conceptualize digital convergence as

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2014.2363979
Date of publication: 1 December 2014

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

WINTER 2014

a process in which technology coevolves with other
disciplines, creating a dynamic system where human
interaction is essential. In this perspective, digital
convergence adoption in educational contexts goes far
beyond the use of ICT in everyday educational activities. Cultural, social, ethical, and economic elements
interact and become crucial ingredients in a new setting where collaboration and cooperation emerge
as essential for the training of new generations of
ICT professionals.
The impact of ICT is not simply a result of the
development of technology; the capacity for technology adoption by organizations and individuals
has become a crucial requirement for exploiting the
full potential of ICT. This is particularly relevant in
academic contexts where human activity requires the
establishment of an environment that promotes creativity, sustainability, collaboration, interdisciplinary
focus, and social responsibility [1]. The adequate integration of all these elements provides an innovation
scenario for learning in which disciplines converge
and individuals of many talents interact, requiring in
turn new mechanisms of organization and management. This integration is, in our opinion, a significant
challenge faced by universities in the new millennium.
From an economic perspective, digital convergence can be seen as the opportunity to offer consumers information, communication, and entertainment
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