Time is challenging us to design learning and competence development processes from a more pedagogical perspective. Digital teaching and learning processes have become a permanent part of the everyday life of everyone working in education, which calls for further updating pedagogical learning design skills.

Digital technology offers flexible and versatile learning solutions. Digital technology allows for flexible and versatile learning solutions, but on the other hand, the current situation may be threatened by the fact that teaching is too technology-driven and does not consider how it can best support learning. At its best, digital technology enriches learning, but it cannot be expected to automatically lead to deeper learning. There is even a belief that students learn things on their own, without guidance and peer support. In terms of learning design, dialogic collaborative knowledge construction should be further strengthened so that collaborative learning and the content of learning are perceived as meaningful.

This paper presents the findings of a research study in which deeper learning design principles are informed by educational theory and my doctoral research in 2019. The study outlined seven specific deeper learning design principles that scaffold dialogical, digital, and deeper learning outcomes. The principles emphasise a deeper learning orientation: self-paced, authentic, dialogical, and collaborative knowledge construction in diverse digital environments. The role of design principles is seen as a more flexible way to shape teaching and deeper learning in diverse situations and environments. Presented design principles are used to revise teaching practices, instead of applying a specific, fixed pedagogical model. The study indicated that deeper learning activities in authentic and dialogical collaborative knowledge construction offer a promising approach to developing learning processes in diverse educational settings, especially in the digital learning context.

Keywords: Education, Teacher Education, Deeper Learning, Learning Design.