ORIGINAL RESEARCH Challenges for Education in a Connected World: Digital Learning, Data Rich Environments, and Computer- Based Assessment—Introduction to the Inaugural Special Issue of Technology, Knowledge and Learning Dirk Ifenthaler • Amy B. Adcock • Benjamin E. Erlandson • Maree Gosper • Samuel Greiff • Pablo Pirnay-Dummer Published online: 11 May 2014 Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014 1 The New Scope of Technology, Knowledge and Learning The new scope of Technology, Knowledge and Learning emphasizes the increased interest on adaptive and personalized digital learning environments. Educational researchers are faced with new research challenges in the beginning of the twenty-first century, especially focusing on digital learning, game-based learning, automated assessment, and learning analytics. In order to provide a source of reference for future submissions to Technology, Knowledge and Learning, the following sections highlight the key themes of the journal. 1.1 Digital Learning Digital learning is defined as any set of technology-based methods that can be applied to support learning and instruction (Wheeler 2012). There are many emerging opportunities for research in digital learning aiming to improve the learner’s experience and promoting deeper engagement to achieve higher-order thinking skills and to optimize learning D. Ifenthaler (&) Deakin University, Melbourne, Autralia e-mail: dirk@ifenthaler.info A. B. Adcock Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA B. E. Erlandson Essential Complexity, Elkin, NC, USA M. Gosper Macquarie University, Sydney, Autralia S. Greiff University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg P. Pirnay-Dummer University of Passau, Passau, Germany 123 Tech Know Learn (2014) 19:121–126 DOI 10.1007/s10758-014-9228-2