Critical Reflection on University Learning in the Age of Immediacy

The digital revolution has altered the ways in which knowledge is accessed, processed, and legitimized, driving a profound epistemological and cultural transformation in higher education practices. In this context, the university faces a structural dilemma: the tension between the speed of information and the depth of knowledge. This article offers a critical reflection on the impact of a "culture of immediacy" within the university environment and proposes a pedagogical alternative grounded in recent bibliometric findings. Using a mixed-methods approach and adapting the PRISMA protocol, the study analyzed 50 scientific documents—articles indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO, published between 2018 and 2025—that address critical thinking, academic integrity, and deep learning. The results reveal a growing trend in the literature toward integrating metacognition, digital ethics, and authentic assessment as pillars of meaningful learning. It is concluded that hyperconnectivity and the proliferation of micro-credentials have created a tension between critical thinking and superficial learning. Consequently, there is a clear need to shift away from a logic centered on credentials and immediacy, moving instead toward a pedagogy of slowness and depth—one rooted in reflection, integrity, and self-regulation.

higher education, critical thinking, deep learning, academic ethics, digital culture.

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