Are academics adapting to students' technology learning preferences?: A South African study of teaching identities

Traditionally, academics in higher education relied on lectures, seminars, and textbooks for face-to-face instruction. However, technology integration in education has transformed the landscape, enhancing engagement, active learning, and personalised instruction, prompting academics to rethink their...

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Published in:Issues in educational research Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 1241 - 1259
Main Authors: Novel Lena Folabit, Loyiso Currell Jita
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Perth, WA Institutes for Educational Research in NSW, SA and WA 01.12.2024
Subjects:
21st Century Skills
Active Learning
Cooperative Learning
Digital literacy
Educational Innovation
Evaluation
Experimental Curriculum
Higher education
Identity (Psychology)
Influence of Technology
Interviews
Learning
Professional Identity
Psychology
Public opinion
Social aspects
Students
Study and teaching
Teaching Methods
Technology
Technology Integration
ISSN:0313-7155, 1837-6290
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Traditionally, academics in higher education relied on lectures, seminars, and textbooks for face-to-face instruction. However, technology integration in education has transformed the landscape, enhancing engagement, active learning, and personalised instruction, prompting academics to rethink their teaching methods. Anchored in social constructivist theory, our study explores how students' technological learning preferences impact academics' professional identities. Data from semi-structured interviews with nine academics at the University of the Free State, South Africa, selected through convenience and purposive sampling, were coded and thematically analysed. Our study found that although technology provides innovative curriculum design and collaborative learning benefits as students engage with diverse web-based platforms for personalised learning, academics must reassess their teaching approaches by iteratively balancing traditional and technological approaches. They thereby shift from being knowledge transmitters to learning facilitators, despite their limited digital literacy skills. Therefore, we recommend that all higher education stakeholders and web-based companies work together on practical professional development and mentorship programs. These programs will focus on improving academics' skills in digital literacy and innovation skills relevant to web-based learning spaces.
Bibliography:Issues in Educational Research, Vol. 34, No. 4, Dec 2024, 1241-1259
Informit, Melbourne (Vic)
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ISSN:0313-7155
1837-6290