Research REV.

slidesmania.
com
The Role of Technology Integration in the

Development of 21st Century Skills and
Competencies in Life Sciences Teaching and
Learning
Author: Sam Ramaila1 & Anwar Junior Molwele1

Journal Name : International Journal of Higher Education
slidesmania.com
Introduction
Teachers are key agents of educational change, embracing digital transformation

for progressive and sustainable educational outcomes.
Demir and Akpinar (2018)

-mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets
continue to transform our lives as they allow connectivity, communication and
collaboration in an ever-changing
World.
slidesmania.com
Introduction
Rathore and Sonawat (2015)

technology integration as access to a variety of digital tools that allow
learners to apply technological skills to engage with content for a deeper
understanding and to solve problems.
Yáñez et al. (2015)

argue that innovative teachers create and expand learning opportunities beyond the
classroom
and this professional attribute is evident in their pedagogies
slidesmania.com
Introduction
(Weintrop et al., 2016). (Azarfam & Jabbari, 2012)
Through technology integration, Factors
learners learn:
 Limited technology equipment
 abstraction
 lack of technological knowledge
 analysis  inability to integrate technology
successfully.
 Automation
 modelling
slidesmania.com
METHOD
The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design. An

explanatory sequential mixed method design provides opportunities for analysis of
both qualitative and quantitative data and provides a deeper understanding of the
research problem (Ivankova et al., 2006)
The study collected quantitative data through a survey questionnaire and

qualitative data through semi-structured interviews.
The interview data was transcribed and analyzed using both inductive and
deductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012).
slidesmania.com
RESULTS
Study on Technology Integration in South African Life Sciences

Curriculum results showed that:
Teachers have a positive inclination towards integrating technology
Common Devices: Desktops, laptops and smartphones.

Popular Applications: WhatsApp, Zoom, Kahoot
Findings: Technology integration increased student participation, autonomy,

teamwork, debate, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
slidesmania.com
DISCUSSION
The study analyzed the role of technology integration in developing 21st-century

skills in Life Sciences teaching and learning.
15 teachers from suburban South African schools participated.
The Study highlights benefits of 21st century technology integration, need for
careful integration supported by theory and professional development.
Strategies included classroom discussions, small group discussions, and

collaborative learning.
slidesmania.com
DISCUSSION
Active participation and autonomy in technology use enhance teaching and

learning.
Meaningful integration requires careful resource allocation and improved

technology pedagogical understanding.
Creative pedagogical approaches sensitive to learners' needs can build 21st century
competencies.
slidesmania.com
CONCLUSIONS
Technology integration promotes 21st-century skills like communication, critical

thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and computational thinking.
• It creates an engaging teaching environment, enhancing academic achievement and

learner motivation.
Teachers use pedagogical strategies like small group discussions, collaborative

learning, and cooperative learning to foster 21st-century skills development.
slidesmania.com
RECOMEDATIONS
 Innovative pedagogical strategies that utilize technology
should be adopted to meet the needs of diverse learners.
 Teachers must embrace digital transformation to achieve

educational goals, enhancing their technological pedagogical
content knowledge through consistent and sustainable
professional development programs.
slidesmania.com
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Careful selection and appropriate deployment of technological

resources is important for meaningful technology use in science
classrooms.
 The study suggests utilizing technology integration for 21st-century

skill development through innovative, learner-centered teaching
methods, facilitated by teacher professional development and
infrastructure improvement.
slidesmania.com
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND

CRITIC ANALYSIS
 The study is grounded in social constructivism which is highly relevant as it posits

that knowledge is constructed through social interactions.
 The sample of 15 teachers was purposively selected which is a limitation as it

impacts generalizability
 Both surveys and interviews were used for data collection which provides strengths
of both quantitative and qualitative data
slidesmania.com
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND

CRITIC ANALYSIS
 Limitations: Aside from the sampling limitation, the study could have triangulated
data sources further by also collecting student perspectives or conducting classroom
observations
 The recommendations around embracing digital transformation and enhancing

teacher TPACK are pragmatic and well-aligned with addressing the research
problems.
slidesmania.com
Personal learning points
 The development of 21st-century abilities including communication, critical

thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and computational thinking depends on the
integration of technology.
 Pedagogical strategies like small group discussions, collaborative learning, and

cooperative learning can be effectively combined with technology integration.
slidesmania.com
Personal learning points
 Careful selection and planning of instructional tasks and activities are crucial for
meaningful technology integration.
 Challenges like inconsistent internet access can hinder technology integration.
 Technology enables flexible access to content and material reviewing, which

increases student independence and engagement.

Research REV.

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research REV.

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research REV.

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

slidesmania.

The Role of Technology Integration in the

Author: Sam Ramaila1 & Anwar Junior Molwele1

Teachers are key agents of educational change, embracing digital transformation

Demir and Akpinar (2018)

Rathore and Sonawat (2015)

Yáñez et al. (2015)

The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design. An

The study collected quantitative data through a survey questionnaire and

Study on Technology Integration in South African Life Sciences

Teachers have a positive inclination towards integrating technology

Common Devices: Desktops, laptops and smartphones.

Findings: Technology integration increased student participation, autonomy,

The study analyzed the role of technology integration in developing 21st-century

Strategies included classroom discussions, small group discussions, and

Active participation and autonomy in technology use enhance teaching and

Meaningful integration requires careful resource allocation and improved

Technology integration promotes 21st-century skills like communication, critical

• It creates an engaging teaching environment, enhancing academic achievement and

Teachers use pedagogical strategies like small group discussions, collaborative

 Teachers must embrace digital transformation to achieve

 Careful selection and appropriate deployment of technological

 The study suggests utilizing technology integration for 21st-century

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND

 The study is grounded in social constructivism which is highly relevant as it posits

 The sample of 15 teachers was purposively selected which is a limitation as it

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND

 The recommendations around embracing digital transformation and enhancing

Personal learning points

 The development of 21st-century abilities including communication, critical

 Pedagogical strategies like small group discussions, collaborative learning, and

Personal learning points

 Challenges like inconsistent internet access can hinder technology integration.

 Technology enables flexible access to content and material reviewing, which

You might also like