Challenges for Innovation and Educational Change in Digital Education in Low Resourced Settings: A Kenyan Example

Abstract

Many governments invest in digital education and deliver multi-faceted initiatives to develop the capacity of educational institutions and staff confidence in use of technology for enhanced learning and better student outcomes. However, the impact of these initiatives does not always result in improved technology-supported learning or successful digital educational products. Research shows many factors impede the achievement of such objectives. Yet, they are not well understood particularly in low-resourced educational settings. Thus, this paper as part of a larger study aimed to explore barriers to implementing TEL for higher education in low-resourced contexts and potential solutions from the perspective of educators, managers and support staff. The unique inclusion of support staff and management in this research provides a deeper understanding of current barriers to TEL, and the value of multi-stakeholder engagement to develop meaningful context-driven solutions. Using a qualitative oriented mixed-method approach underpinned by Beyond Prototypes conceptual model of TEL complex, the study found that most barriers and enablers of effective TEL implementation are related to the ecology in which it is practised, together with the influence of the salient communities. Findings also suggest that most stakeholders are aware and prioritise barriers related to their role, but have limited awareness of barriers faced by other stakeholders or how others perceived their role in supporting TEL. While the study supports findings of previous research, it adds further insight by considering the views of all implementing stakeholders and the relationships between them.