Brigid Conteh will have a dissertation defence at 12:30 PM on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 in Room 1306 of the Ponderosa Commons Oak House (6445 University Boulevard).
All are welcome to attend.
Supervisory Committee:
Dr. Theresa Rogers (LLED),
Dr. Marlene Asselin (LLED),
Dr. Amy Metcalfe (EDST)
Examiners:
External Examiner: Dr. Dick Ng’ambi (University of Cape Town)
University Examiners: Dr. Bonny Norton (LLED) and Dr. Sampson Nashon (EDCP)
Defence Chair: Dr. Hsiao-Cheng Sandrine Han (EDCP)
Title: Using Digital Technologies to Enhance First-Year Students’ Learning in a Communication and Academic Literacy Course.
Abstract:
The prevalence of digital technologies in students’ lives is changing what they need to learn; hence, the motivation by educators to integrate digital technologies in learning and teaching to enhance the development of students’ academic literacies (Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear, Leu, 2008; Mills, 2010; Roswell & Walsh, 2011; Simpson & Obdalova, 2014; Warschauer, Knobel & Stone, 2004). New ways of reading and writing are also emerging and evolving as a result of the internet, increasing the recognition that as students engage in these literacies, educators need to reconsider how traditional pedagogies could be supplemented to include other modes of representation that cater to students’ changing academic needs (New London Group, 1996). This case study investigated whether and if so, how, digital technologies were used to enhance undergraduate students’ learning in Communication and Academic Literacy courses at the University of Botswana. Specifically, the study examined the technologies available for students’ use at the university, how use of digital technologies enhance students’ academic literacies, perceptions of first-year students about the use of digital technologies in learning, contributions of digital technologies towards development of students’ academic literacies, and lecturers’ perceptions about the use of digital technologies to support students’ academic literacies. A total of 60 students and two lecturers from the Communication and Study Skills Unit who were purposively sampled participated in the study. Data sources were questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, observation, and documents (policy, curriculum). Data were analyzed qualitatively based on recurring themes that emerged, which helped to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that although students are exposed to a variety of digital technologies that the university provided, they did not use them to enhance their academic work because they often lacked the necessary academic digital literacy skills. Furthermore, participants indicated that challenges of inadequate resources, such as too few computers, unreliable internet connection, and lecturers’ lack of skills in using digital technologies impacted students’ academic performance. It was concluded that for digital technologies to be effectively used in this context to support students’ development of academic literacies, robust and reliable technological infrastructure should be put in place and lecturer support in the use of digital technologies should be prioritized.