Technology at Its Best: Experiences of Master of Education Course Participants in Med Course: Evidencing Students' Learning Experiences

Abstract

Transformative teaching and learning occur when Information Communication and Technology is put on a pedestal.  As a powerful tool in education, ICT can build collaborative networks that surmount the equity and accessibility gaps that have long existed. Furthermore, the use of ICT in classrooms and other educational contexts carries with it enormous benefits.  Numerous research studies, for instance, have linked the use of ICT in teaching and learning to not only increased student motivation and engagement, but also improved student outcomes (Bonk, 2009; Boster et al., 2007; Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003; Morgan, 2015; Robin, 2008). In addition, ICT is a 21^st century phenomenon that has become a universal tool for education. Without this tool, the ever-growing and changing educational needs and aspirations may not be realized. However, despite these notable benefits of embedding ICT in pedagogy, teachers and education practitioners are still grappling with how to use and apply ICT in teaching and learning (McKenna & Proctor, 1998; Robin, 2008). Additionally, the gap between teachers who are ICT enthusiasts and those who are ICT conservatives seems to be widening each passing day. It is worth noting that ICT environment is highly dynamic, hence failure to keep up with the changes may have a negative impact on teacher efficacy, which in turn impedes educational achievements. Many institutions of higher learning are not fully utilizing technology in ways that can boost everyday learning, which underlines the need to scale up the acquisition of effective pedagogies and technologies. One fact that remains is that technology is here to stay (Gibson, 2001). Therefore, adopting, adapting and appropriating ICT for pedagogy is the gateway to transformed students' learning.

This paper presents the experiences of master of education course participants in their engagement with different technological innovations and tools as they undertake the program. It underscores the importance and how the experiences impacted on the uptake of the course content, their perceptions among others. It further presents a study to evidence views/experiences of the students on the use ‘Moodle' Virtual Learning Environment and finally makes suggestions for the improvement where gaps in the use of the technology were identified.