University teachers' perception of barriers to the use of digital technologies: the importance of the academic discipline

Cristina Mercader,Joaquín Gairín

doi:10.1186/s41239-020-0182-x

Abstract

Digital technologies are currently one of the most used resources among students for developing their personalized learning environment. However, recent studies continue to demonstrate a lack of usage on the part of teaching staff for developing their teaching practices, especially at the university level. Through the identification of personal, professional, institutional, and contextual barriers, this study seeks to reveal the reasons why teachers in institutions of higher education do not use digital technologies for teaching purposes and whether the academic discipline influences this perception. The results suggest that professional barriers are the most prevalent and that the discipline of arts and humanities is where the most obstacles are perceived. In conclusion, there is a need for better professional development for teachers and more institutional involvement through strategic plans.

Highlights

Digital Technologies are a set of all kinds of hardware and software devices that facilitate communication and access, transmission and storage of information and knowledge in a digital environment
Yot, and Mayor (2015), in accordance with Kedrova and Potemkin (2015), confirm this situation, pointing out that 44% of university teachers use digital technologies infrequently in their teaching practice and, on the few occasions that they are used, teachers tend to turn to the same type: technologies that can be used more for supporting their lecture sessions, and less so the development of student-centred activities
Mercader and Gairín’s study (2017) analyses the tools used by university teachers, detecting that the only widespread ones are visual presentations and virtual platforms, which are used to support teachers’ lecture sessions, relegating the tools that involve an active role on the part of students

Summary

Introduction

Digital Technologies are a set of all kinds of hardware and software devices that facilitate communication and access, transmission and storage of information and knowledge in a digital environment. The Horizon Report (Johnson et al, 2016) demonstrates the lack of digital technology integration in the classroom, especially in terms of emerging technologies such as: BYOD (bring your own device), learning analytics and adaptive learning, augmented and virtual reality, and robotics. Mercader and Gairín’s study (2017) analyses the tools used by university teachers, detecting that the only widespread ones are visual presentations and virtual platforms, which are used to support teachers’ lecture sessions, relegating the tools that involve an active role on the part of students (social networks, Mercader and Gairín International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (2020) 17:4 blogs, augmented reality, etc.) to less important and sporadic use among teachers. The low use becomes more evident when we analyze general studies that focus on the use of digital technologies, which demonstrate a lack of integration among teachers in most cases (El Semary, 2011; Hernández-Ramos, Martínez-Abad, García, Herrera, & Rodríguez-Conde, 2014; Teo, 2015; Venkatesh, 2000; Zempoalteca, Barragán, González, & Guzmán, 2017), compared to the results in specific studies on the use of one particular tool

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