An Exploration of Technology Enabled Learning for Inclusive Pedagogy in Selected Nigerian Schools: Interpreting Practitioners’ Perceptions Through Visual Research Methods.

  • Maureen Osigwelem

Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

The use of technology for teaching and learning is gaining increasing acceptance in both developed and developing countries, and there has been growing advocacy for the use of technology to meet the needs of all learners in inclusive classrooms. However, it appears to be the case that frequently the practitioners are not confident in their use of new technologies, as they are either inadequately equipped or lack knowledge of best practice for inclusive pedagogy. Studies have revealed that much use of new technology in education lacks a firm pedagogical grounding, and this has resulted in a gap between practice and theory. Moreover, concern continues to be expressed about the extent to which technology is being integrated within the learning experience.
This study explores the perceptions and experiences of education practitioners in their current pedagogical practice using Digital Technology (DT) for inclusive pedagogy. The PhD has adopted an inductive qualitative research approach that is informed by an interpretive ontology, based within selected primary and junior secondary schools in the Imo state of Nigeria. The sample for the study comprises of 25 participants drawn from primary and junior secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria, using purposive sampling. Multi-method approaches were applied for the data collection, using photo elicitation and semi-structured interviews, including a reflective journal written during the research process, allowing for a degree of crystallization. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The study also applied the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) model to the research as a framework to evaluate technology use in the Nigerian schools in meeting theneeds of learners, alongside considering a CPD model to derive insights into teachers’ training needs for effective pedagogy in the Nigerian schools.
The key findings of the PhD reveal that disability identification is a challenge as some of the teachers have varying perceptions about inclusion and disability. Many of the research participants revealed an understanding of disability from the medical model perspective of disabilities. Alongside this, some teachers appear to lack an awareness of how to apply technology to pedagogy effectively, as their training needs are not always met. Another important finding reveals that the pedagogical practice in Nigeria using technology appears to revolve around just ‘substitution’ and ‘augmentation’ (S-A) on the SAMR model, which is more akin to ‘enhancement’ as opposed to being ‘transformational’.
Date of Award17 Nov 2020
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Teesside University
SupervisorClive Hedges (Supervisor) & Ewan Ingleby (Supervisor)

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