Adoption Complexities of Technology Innovations in Education: Uganda’s Covid-19 Experience

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.