TITLE:
Adoption Complexities of Technology Innovations in Education: Uganda’s Covid-19 Experience
AUTHORS:
Maria Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Stella Kyohairwe, Godwin Kwemarira, Ronald Reagan Okello, Rosemary Nansubuga, Jane Frances Namukasa
KEYWORDS:
Competency-Based Education, Differentiated Teaching, Technology Innovations
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.4,
April
18,
2023
ABSTRACT: Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to examine the adoption complexities
amidst the abrupt emergent shift to technological innovations in education,
caused by Covid-19 that led to fundamental transformations (like shock to human
life, shattered businesses, feelings of uncertainty, school closures, reduced
human contact, adoption of online learning among others). Specifically, this
greatly frustrated the education sector more than ever before. The transformation
was intended to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, but also, as a means
to transition into the 4th Industrial Revolution. Design/ Methodology/Approach: A cross sectional qualitative approach was used to collect data purposively
selected from primary, secondary, nursing, seminary and higher education
institutions that were to undo the varying learning challenges amidst lockdown
brought by the government to flatten the infection curve and reduce total
fatalities from the contagious pandemic. Thematic, content and narrative
analyses were adopted to make sense out of the generated data. Findings: The study revealed that different institutions had been affected in different
ways ranging from minimal differentiated teaching, quality observance, skills
possession and mastery, competency-based approaches, differentiated approaches,
diminished team learning, costly internet connections, questionable infrastructure
and students’ inability to comprehend content delivered through technology
assisted instruction. Originality/Value: The paper suggests that amidst
these challenges, education institutions transitioned into stable blended
learning environment. Therefore, it is about time that all education
institutions revamped existing curricula to incorporate critical strategies
into technology assisted teaching and learning to meet work skills of the
future and to mitigate similar adversities.