Embracing Technological Change in Higher Education

Abstract

Access to information has never been easier, thanks to the rapid development of the internet and communication technologies, and the ubiquity of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices. In traditional classroom learning, teachers provide students with various sources of information that are known to be reliable. Nowadays, especially in a post-pandemic era, students increasingly rely on a host of resources available on the internet. Exposure to vast amounts of scattered information could adversely affect students’ learning process. Meanwhile, pedagogical approaches, classroom learning practices, and student learning activities have evolved significantly to cope with contemporary challenges. This study reviews the current learning practices and the technological interventions in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape. In particular, the challenges when integrating technology into higher education are considered in detail and ways put forward for doing so in that context.

Perspectives of University Educators Regarding ChatGPT: A Validation Study Based on the Technology Acceptance Model

“…ChatGPT among the participating university educators. This result is understandable based on the previous evidence showing the greater likelihood of embracing a novel technology if it is perceived as bene cial [72][73][74], which was recently shown by Wang et al in the context of AI adoption in e-commerce [75]. Usefulness in the context of generative AI such as ChatGPT pertains to its potential to enhance learning outcomes, to facilitate personalized education, and to streamline the tedious administrative tasks [76,77].…”

Enhancing Access, Equity, and Quality in Higher Education in India through Technology and Its Challenges

“…Many universities have launched online courses that give students more control over their studies, so they can study at their own pace. Blended learning, where significant elements of the learning environment, such as face -toface online tools, are used in learning, can also support students' self-paced learning and enhance their engagement in learning (Bahja, Amin,& Hammad, 2022). Furthermore, advancements such as virtual classrooms and interactive simulations enhance the quality of education by fostering immersive and engaging learning environments in higher education.…”

Covid-19 Pandemic and Pedagogic Learning Innovations in the 'New' Classroom: Views from educators in the Global North and South

“…Today's students demand a flexible, personalized, and real-time educational experience (Fernadez et al, 2023) thanks to digitization and digital transformation. The global pandemic Covid-19 quickened the pace of technological transformations, with academic institutions globally adopting cloud-based technologies for student relationship management (CRM applications), Learning management systems or virtual environments (LMS), assessment-based applications, and many other technologies (Bahja et al 2021;Turnbull et al 2022). When Covid-19 hit, online education was viewed as an effective solution to address school closures and avoid interrupting schooling.…”

“…The sudden shift in the teaching and learning process caught many institutions and faculty members in both developed and developing countries unaware, and both HEIs and individual faculty had no choice but to migrate to online classes with minimal resources and little or no digital literacy skills. With the global COVID-19 pandemic said to be here to stay, online education has led to questions regarding the likely effects of online learning on students, educators, and the education sector (Bahja et al, 2021). The majority of research within the area of technological changes within the HEI sector, especially teaching and learning technologies, has primarily focused on the adoption of e-learning and the readiness of institutions (for example, Tarisayi & Munyaradzi, 2021;Maphosa, 2021;Keengwe & Kidd's 2010;Mahlangu & Makwasha 2023;Chugh et al, 202), the challenges faced by lecturers and students (for example Bowden, 2021;Chimbunde, 2021;Sibanda, 2022), challenges of implementing e-learning in higher education institutions (Bates, 2019) and implementation and impact of these technologies (Bahja et al, 2021).…”

“…With the global COVID-19 pandemic said to be here to stay, online education has led to questions regarding the likely effects of online learning on students, educators, and the education sector (Bahja et al, 2021). The majority of research within the area of technological changes within the HEI sector, especially teaching and learning technologies, has primarily focused on the adoption of e-learning and the readiness of institutions (for example, Tarisayi & Munyaradzi, 2021;Maphosa, 2021;Keengwe & Kidd's 2010;Mahlangu & Makwasha 2023;Chugh et al, 202), the challenges faced by lecturers and students (for example Bowden, 2021;Chimbunde, 2021;Sibanda, 2022), challenges of implementing e-learning in higher education institutions (Bates, 2019) and implementation and impact of these technologies (Bahja et al, 2021). Studies focusing on the latter have adopted mainly an institution-wide (macro) approach to online education and overlooked individual lecturers' specific innovations and actual appropriation of technological tools for e-learning purposes in particular learning environments in different contexts and the effect of these.…”