Academics’ knowledge of technological, pedagogical and content integration at an open distance and e-learning institution

Abstract

The current study utilised the technological, pedagogical, content and content knowledge (TPACK) framework to determine academics’ knowledge on technological and pedagogical integration in teaching and learning in The College at The Institution. The study emanated from the Institution’s 2016-2030 Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) strategic plan which underlies its transformational process to become an exceptional technological and pedagogically oriented institution of both local and international standing in the field of Distance Education (DE). The Institution has established itself over the years as a giant of distance education and has continued to navigate different avenues through technological means. The existing digital age of the 21st century has required educators to improve their technological, pedagogical and content know-how in order to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning. However, educators have continued to continuously utilise technology for communication and low-level tasks such as word processing or research, but not for curriculum purposes. A quantitative research design was utilised to investigate academics’ understanding of pedagogy, content and technology in relation to the teaching and learning environment. Additionally, convenience sampling was appropriate because only academics at the College who were available and willing were invited to take part in the study. Accordingly, all of the academics employed at the College who declared themselves willing were invited to participate in the survey. The survey was conducted through online Microsoft forms. The descriptive statistics (mean, range, standard deviation, factor analysis, chi-square analysis) drawn from Technological, Pedagogical and Content (TPACK) scores were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 23. The study also provided a baseline analysis of the College academics’ knowledge of Technological, pedagogical and content integration in teaching and learning activities. Additionally, the findings provided direction and recommendations for the College to use in relation to its 2016–2030 strategic plans. The study utilised the TPACK framework, as highlighted earlier, in achieving the set objectives. As such, the primary objective proved that the academics at the College lacked comprehension of what technology integration in teaching would be able to do for the institution of higher learning. However, the TPACK framework remains an appropriate tool to assess technology integration in the teaching and learning environment as, without technology engagement, teaching opportunities fade away. The use of the TPACK framework by educators assists in raising awareness and understanding of teaching context. It is emphasised that the lack of technological knowledge on the part of academics can cause a digital divide when young, incoming students possess high technological skills. This may cause students to begin to undermine academics who are less interested in technology and can destabilise the teaching and learning environment. The results of the survey indicated a lack of awareness on the part of academics of the TPACK framework that may aid with technology, pedagogy and content knowledge. The study recommends that further studies be undertaken in the area of technology, pedagogy and content integration within other institutions of higher education.

In hierdie studie is die tegnologiese, pedagogiese, inhoud- en inhoudskennis (TPACK)- raamwerk ingespan om akademici se kennis van tegnologiese en pedagogiese integrering in onderrig en leer by Die Skool aan Die Instelling te bepaal. Die studie was ʼn uitvloeisel van die Instelling se strategiese plan vir 2016–2030 rakende Oop- en Afstands- e-leer (ODeL), wat onderliggend is tot die transformasionele proses om ʼn uitsonderlike tegnologies en pedagogies georiënteerde instelling met plaaslike sowel as internasionale status in die veld van afstandsonderrig te word. Die Instelling het oor die jare gevestig geraak as ʼn reus in afstandsonderrig en het voortgegaan om verskillende weë met behulp van tegnologie te navigeer. Die huidige digitale era van die 21ste eeu het van opvoeders vereis om hul tegnologiese, pedagogiese en inhoudskennis te verbeter ten einde ʼn omgewing te skep wat bevorderlik vir onderrig en leer is. Opvoeders het egter voortgegaan om deurlopend tegnologie te benut vir kommunikasie en laevlaktake soos woordverwerking of navorsing, maar nie vir kurrikulumdoeleindes nie. ʼn Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om akademici se begrip van pedagogie, inhoud en tegnologie in verhouding tot die onderrig- en leeromgewing te ondersoek. Daarbenewens was gerieflikheidsteekproefneming geskik omdat slegs akademici verbonde aan die Skool, wat beskikbaar en bereidwillig was, genooi is om aan die studie deel te neem. Die opname is deur middel van aanlyn Microsoft-vorms gedoen. Die beskrywende statistiek (gemiddelde, variasiewydte, standaardafwyking, faktorontleding, chi-kwadraatontleding) op grond van tegnologiese, pedagogiese, en inhoud (TPACK)-tellings is ontleed met behulp van SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), weergawe 23. Die studie het ook ʼn basislynontleding van die akademici by die Skool, se kennis van tegnologiese, pedagogiese en inhoudsintegrering in onderrig- en leeraktiwiteite gebied. Die bevindings het ook rigting en aanbevelings gelewer wat die Skool kan gebruik ten opsigte van sy strategiese planne vir 2016–2030. Soos vroeër genoem, is die TPACK-raamwerk in hierdie studie gebruik om die doelwitte wat gestel is, te bereik. As sodanig het die primêre doelwit bewys dat die akademici by die Skool nie begryp hoe waardevol tegnologie-integrering in onderrig kan wees vir die hoëronderriginstelling nie. Die TPACK-raamwerk bly egter ʼn geskikte hulpmiddel om integrering in die onderrig- en leeromgewing te assesseer – trouens, sonder tegnologiebenutting gaan kosbare geleenthede vir onderrig verlore. Opvoeders se gebruik van die TPACK-raamwerk dra by tot bewustheid en begrip van die onderrigkonteks. Daar word beklemtoon dat akademici se gebrek aan tegnologiese kennis ʼn digitale skeiding kan veroorsaak wanneer jong, nuwe studente oor ʼn hoë vlak van tegniese vaardigheid beskik. Dit kan daartoe lei dat studente begin om akademici wat nie soseer in tegnologie belangstel nie, te ondermyn, en dit kan die onderrig- en leeromgewing destabiliseer. Die resultate van die opname dui daarop dat ʼn bewustheid van die TPACK-raamwerk wat kan bydra tot kennis van tegnologie, pedagogie en inhoud, by akademici ontbreek. Daar word aanbeveel dat verdere studies oor die onderwerp van tegnologie, pedagogie en inhoudsintegrering onderneem word by ander hoëronderriginstellings.

Thodisiso ya zwino yo shumisa furemiweke ya thekhinolodzhi, pfunzo ndivho na thyeori dza ndivho (TPACK) u ta ndivho ya vhoraakademi kha thanganelano ya thekhinolodzhi na pfunzo kha u funza na u guda kha Kholidzhi kha Tshiimiswa. Thodisiso i bva kha pulane ya tshitirathedzhi ya 2016-2030 ya Tshiimiswa tsha u Guda u kule na nga kha Lubuvhisia (ODeL) tshine tsha tutuwedza kuitele kwatsho kwa tshanduko u vha tshiimiswa tsho disendekaho tshothe nga thekhinolodzhi na pfunzo kha vhuvhili ha vhuimo hapo na ha dzitshaka kha sia la Pfunzo ya u guda u Kule (DE). Tshiimiswa tsho dibveledzisa tshone tshiṋe lwa minwaha sa tshihulwanesa kha pfunzo ya u guda u kule na u bvela phanda na u tshimbidza masia o fhambanaho nga ndila ya thekhinolodzhi. Vhukale vhu re hone ha didzhithala ha danwaha 21 ho toda vhagudisi uri vha khwinise thekhinolodzhi yavho, pfunzo na ndivho ya uri vha zwi itisa hani u itela u bveledza vhupo havhudi ha u funza na u guda. Naho zwo ralo, vhagudisi vho bvela phanda na u shumisa thekhinolodzhi kha vhudavhidzani na mishumo ya levele ya fhasi i ngaho ya u bveledza manwalwa kana thodisiso, fhedzi hu sa itelwi ndivho dza kharikhulamu. Ho shumiswa kuitele kwa thodisiso ya khwanthithathivi u todisisa vhoraakademi kha kupfesesele kwa pfunzo, ndivho na thekhinolodzhi zwi tshi elana na vhupo ha u guda na u funza. U dadzisa kha zwenezwo, tsumbonanguludzwa dza u nanga vhadzheneleli nga u vha tsinisa yo tea ngauri ndi vhoraakademi fhedzi vha Kholidzhi vhe vha wanala na u takalela vho rambiwa na u shela mulenzhe kha ngudo. Nga yeneyo ndila, vhashumi vhothe vha vhoraakademi vhane vha shuma kha Kholidzhi vhe vha bvisela khagala uri vha khou takalela vho rambiwa u dzhenelela kha thodisiso. Thodisiso yo tshimbidzwa nga kha lubuvhisia nga ndila dza Microsoft. Manweledzo a data (tshikati, phambano, tshivhalo tsha u fhambana, u saukanya tshivhalo, khonadzeo ya ndingo dzine dza khou lavhelelwa) yo bviswa kha Thekhinolodzhi, Pfunzo na zwi re ngomu (TPACK) zwikoro zwo saukanya hu tshi khou shumiswa SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) vesheni 23. Ngudo yo dovha ya ṋetshedza u saukanya ha mutheo ha Kholidzhi ha ndivho ya vhoraakademi ya Thekhinolodzhi, pfunzo na u tanganela ha ndivho kha mishumo ya u funza na u guda. U dadzisa kha zwenezwo, mawanwa o ṋetshedza vhuyo na themendelo ya Kholidzhi u shumisa zwi tshi elana na pulane ya tshitirathedzhi tshayo tsha 2016–2030. Ngudo yo shumisa furemiweke ya TPACK, sa zwo ombedzelwaho u thomani, u swikelela zwipikwa zwo vhewaho. Nga yeneyo ndila, tshipikwa tshihulwane tsho khwathisedza uri vhoraakademi vha Kholidzhi a vha na ndivho ya uri u tanganelana ha thekhinolodzhi kha u funza zwi nga thusa hani tshiimiswa tsha pfunzo ya ntha. Naho zwo ralo, furemiweke ya TPACK i dzula i tshishumiswa tsho teaho u linga u tanganela ha thekhinolodzhi kha vhupo ha u funza na u guda sa, arali ha sa vha na u dzhenelela ha thekhinolodzhi, zwikhala zwa u funza zwi do fhela. U shumiswa ha furemiweke ya TPACK nga vhagudisi zwi thusa kha u ita ngafhadzo na u pfesesa nyimele ya pfunzo. Ho ombedzelwa uri u shaya ndivho ya thekhinolodzhi kha tshipida tsha vhoraakademi zwi nga vhanga u khethekana ha didzhithala musi vhaswa, vha matshudeni vha tshi da vhe na zwikili zwa ntha zwa thekhinolodzhi. Hezwi zwi nga ita uri matshudeni vha thome u dzhiela fhasi vhoraakademi vhane vha vha na dzangalelo lituku kha thekhinolodzhi na uri vha nga thithisa vhupo ha u guda na u funza. Mvelelo dza thodisiso dzi sumbedza thahalelo ya ngafhadzo kha vhoraakademi ya furemiweke ya TPACK ine ya nga thusa, pfunzo na thyeori ya ndivho. Thodisiso yo themendela uri hu fanela u itwa dzinwe ngudo kha sia la thekhinolodzhi, pfunzo na thanganelano ya ndivho kha zwinwe zwiimiswa zwa pfunzo ya ntha.