Navigating Digital Environments One Step at a Time During COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down in many ways and forced universities worldwide to reconsider established practices. As an Asia-Pacific institution with research, learning and teaching activities across two countries, James Cook University (JCU) Singapore was no stranger to digital learning and had well-established, blended-learning policies (JCU, Blended learning design cycle, https://www.jcu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/227866/JCU-Blended-Learning-Guide-2015.pdf, 2014) in place, based on constructive alignment of learning objectives, teaching methods, and assessment. This retrospective chapter examines the impact of the pandemic on learning and teaching and discusses how the experience shaped student-centric digital environment where students are actively engaged in reflecting on their learning as well as in the construction of knowledge—the impact on academic culture, social activities, collaborative efforts, and professional learning, both in and out of the classroom. Our considerations for quality digital learning design are informed by collaborative constructivism. and collective learning. From the institution’s reflective approach to crisis management emerged new processes and standards for digital learning that present opportunities for holistic digital transformation in Higher Education (HE) to policy makers and faculty.