Digital Technologies In Higher Education Research Articles

Higher education for sustainable development in the digital era: Mapping the bibliometric analysis

Modern higher education institutions in developed countries are becoming active agents of permanent societal changes. The aim of the study is to map the scientific landscape on the topic of higher education for sustainable development in the context of digitalization. In the research process, bibliometric analysis, an in-built Scopus instrument, and VOSviewer were used. The findings proved that the severe restrictions faced by universities during the COVID-19 pandemic became a powerful impulse to intensify the attention of scientists to the mentioned topic. Visualization maps of keywords and scientific publications showed the existing interdisciplinary nature and the main thematic directions of research on higher education for sustainable development in the digital era. They demonstrated a direct connection between the basic principles of the sustainable development concept, sustainable development goals, higher education, universities, digitization, and digital technologies. The largest number of works on the specified subject belong to scientists from China, Spain, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Ukraine. The study concluded that future publications in the analyzed field would cover the effectiveness of digital technologies in higher education, the development of competencies for the digital economy, inclusiveness, cybersecurity, as well as ethical aspects of the use of technologies to achieve the global sustainable development goals. AcknowledgmentThis analysis is carried out within the framework of the scientific project “Model of the Post-War Recovery of Border Universities of Ukraine in the Digitalization Era Under the Sustainable Development Concept” with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Order No 1190 dated 30.12.2022).

Identifying factors influencing faculty attitude towards digital technology in higher education and its impact on faculty engagement and work performance: a mediating analysis

Background This study investigated the influence of various factors on Faculty Attitude, Faculty Engagement, and Work Performance in higher education. The study specifically examined the impact of faculty attitudes towards digital technology on their level of involvement and effectiveness in the classroom. Furthermore, it investigated how the utilization of digital technology by faculty members influences the connection between their attitudes and job performance. Methods The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies to collect thorough data to explore the factors influencing faculty attitude. A survey was performed among 438 faculty members from higher educational institutions in the Delhi and NCR region. Results The results indicated a strong positive relationship of perceived usefulness, mutual learning, institutional support, collaborativeness, creativity, critical thinking, and faculty attitude towards digital technology adoption in academic setting. Nevertheless, External Pressure did not exhibit a significant relationship. The study revealed that the attitude of faculty members has a significant impact on both their work performance and engagement. Additionally, faculty engagement was found to have a positive impact on work performance. The mediation Analysis revealed that Faculty Engagement served as a partial mediator in the association between Faculty Attitude and Work Performance. Conclusions The study’s implications underscore the urgent need of fostering positive attitudes and engagement among faculty members for enhancing their performance in academic settings. Some of the limitations and implication of the study and future direction of the research directions are suggested.

Hybridity, Transparency, Structured Freedom and Flipped Engagement

In this paper, we contribute to current discussions of what constitutes the field of networked learning as a research domain and what makes networked learning particularly relevant and distinct within the broader landscape of digital technology in higher education. We enter this dialogue through discussing and reflecting on a hybrid learning design for a 10-ECTS module that builds on a Networked Learning Pedagogy. The purpose of our discussions is to elicit tensions and contradictions that surface when students are confronted with a networked learning pedagogy. We discuss the module in relation to ideas of networked learning pedagogy, present four pedagogical principles underpinning the module, and we draw out interesting tensions and contradictions that have emerged. Following this, we use the discussions to feed into the ongoing dialogue of ‘what is networked learning’, and we discuss how networked learning can contribute to practice and policy in higher education through developing practice.

How much ICT literacy is required? The epistemic perceptual framework of Iranian university faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nowadays, information and communications technology literacy (ICT) means more than achieving isolated digital and technological skills. ICT literacy means the skills young people need in the digital world in which information and interaction are accessed through such digital technologies as social networks, virtual environments, and smartphones. To enhance the ICT literacy of these “digital natives”, university faculty are encouraged to implement digital technology in their classes and this will be fulfilled if they are highly competent in the area. This situation gained more prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic as the educational systems all around the world were reshaped requiring educators to embrace new educational technologies in instruction. This study is based on the premise that faculties play a key role in successful incorporation of digital technology in higher education. To explore the issue, the epistemic perceptual framework of 285 male and female university faculty members teaching different fields of study in both public and private universities in Iran was investigated considering their knowledge and perception of ICT literacy, its integration at academic levels, and how coronavirus pandemic has affected the incorporation of digital technology in teaching. Exploring the results showed that there was a significant difference between the lecturers’ actual and perceived ICT literacy in Iran. It was revealed that some faculty had never used technological tools in their classes before the pandemic and the situation has forced them to adopt digital teaching. However, most faculty favored digital integration claiming the pandemic had caused them to improve their ICT literacy and teaching methods. The findings called for an urgent need for faculty’s continuous and effective ICT education upgrading which in turn results in training a more efficient young generation for the digital world.

FUNCTIONING OF AN EDUCATOR IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

In the current period of development of higher education in Ukraine, there is active integration of digital technologies, which radically change the usual pedagogical approaches and methods of teaching. Digitalization of education opens paths to autonomy in learning and individualization of the educational process, simultaneously generating challenges associated with the need to adapt to a rapidly changing educational environment. The main goal of this article is to analyze the new opportunities and challenges arising from the implementation of digital technologies in the sphere of higher education. Particular attention is paid to the educator’s image and the legislation regulating this process, including legislative norms that establish criteria for quality and directions for the development of education in the digital era. An important aspect of the article is the study of the psychological and cultural challenges of digitalization, including the adaptive barriers faced by educators and students. Recent research results indicate a complex balance between the positive and negative aspects of digital learning, which is of strategic importance for the development of online education in Ukraine. The conclusion of the article offers recommendations for the effective implementation of digital technologies in higher education, emphasizing the importance of developing digital competencies among all participants in the educational process and improving the infrastructure necessary to support continuous education. The subject of the study is the impact of digital technologies on the educational process in higher education, analyzing changes in pedagogical methods and the adaptation of educators to new teaching conditions. The object of the study is the formation of elite and burlesque meta-linguistic personalities (mMP) of educators in the digital environment. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the introduction into scientific circulation of the concept of "burlesque meta-linguistic personality" (burlesque mMP), which until now had no clear definition in linguistics and cultural studies. The concept of burlesque mMP allows for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of language transformations in the digital environment, where ironic and parodic use of language becomes a significant communication tool. The article details the main characteristics and features of the burlesque mMP, including its impact on the stylistic and ideological diversity of contemporary linguistic practice, which is conditioned by unconventional ways of using language that traditionally were not considered "literary". Such research opens new possibilities for analyzing digital communication and the interaction of linguistic identities in the virtual space.

Empowering University Lecturers in the Digital Age: Exploring the Factors Influencing the Use of Digital Technologies in Higher Education

In an era where digital technologies (DTs) are reshaping educational delivery methods, university lecturers’ ability and willingness to integrate these innovations into their teaching practices are increasingly important. This study, conducted from October 2022 to February 2023, aims to examine the impact of attitude and training on university lecturers’ self-efficacy in using DTs and to assess the influence of self-efficacy on their interest in using DTs. A total of 294 university lecturers participated in the study and completed a questionnaire assessing their perception of DTs as a didactic tool, attitude towards the use of virtual classrooms, perceived self-efficacy, and interest in the use of DTs, and training in the use of DTs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple linear regressions to explore the relationships between study variables. The results indicated that positive attitudes and suitable training were positively associated with higher self-efficacy. Moreover, high levels of self-efficacy were found to be aligned with an interest in using DTs. These findings shed light on key factors that can effectively encourage the successful adoption of DTs among lecturers.

Waiting for the revolution: how higher education institutions initially responded to ChatGPT

AbstractAlthough debates regarding the integration of digital technologies in higher education are far from new, the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 was considered by many as something different from the developments that had come before. This article explores how higher education institutions make sense of the potentiality inherent in artificial intelligence and the early responses to the proliferation of ChatGPT. Through a qualitative interview-based study carried out at three HEIs in Norway, and applying Scott’s (2005) three pillars of institutions as an analytical framework, the article examines the type of change pressure ChatGPT was perceived to represent in the period following its launch and the type of organizational response this perception warranted. The findings show that while it was expected that ChatGPT and related technologies not only could threaten — and potentially challenge — key norms and values in the long run, in the short term it was primarily perceived as a regulatory issue that needed to be controlled by higher education institutions. The article points to an epistemic and temporal imbalance in both the expectations and response to ChatGPT, coupled with a lack of technological competence to fully consider the kind of transformation that artificial intelligence technology potentially represents. Coupled with the sense of artificial intelligence being a “moving target”, this led higher education institutions to an initial state of organizational paralysis, in turn adopting a “wait and see” strategy.

Research Trends on Digital Marketing Strategies and Student Satisfaction in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

The main objective of this bibliometric article is to analyze and synthesize existing research that explores the relationship between digital marketing strategies implemented by higher education institutions and the satisfaction perceived by students. A bibliometric methodology was adopted, constructing a canonical search equation in the Scopus database, without temporal restrictions. The extracted data were processed using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer to create scientific maps and perform statistical analyses. The main results reveal a significant growth in scientific production, with a total of 1126 published papers and a remarkable international collaboration. The central concepts are social networks, e-commerce, student satisfaction and digital marketing. An interdisciplinary nature is observed, with contributions from various areas of knowledge. Although the interest is global, the growing participation of Middle Eastern nations stands out. In conclusion, the field of digital marketing research on college students has experienced significant growth, reflecting the adoption of digital technologies in higher education and the need for effective digital marketing strategies to attract and retain students.

From Pen to Pixel

The use of digital technologies in higher education is continually increasing, leading to changes in language use and presumably altering the language skills needed for academic studies. However, scores from high-stakes English language proficiency (ELP) tests used in postsecondary admissions only ensure the prerequisite level of traditional English skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Such tests generally do not directly assess technology-mediated language skills (e.g., using online dictionaries and communicating via text message) that likely facilitate successful degree completion for international students. We present results from a needs analysis survey to re-evaluate the English-medium postsecondary linguistic landscape (i.e., update the target language use domain description), to inform ELP admissions tests. We specifically investigate international student (n = 379) and disciplinary instructor (n = 427) perceptions of the importance and frequency of technology-mediated language skills. Results show that student and instructor responses differ on certain technology-mediated skills, such as typing on a smartphone, underscoring the need to consider diverse perspectives in domain analysis research. Findings may inform how digital ELP admissions tests are developed, and how English for academic purposes curricula are designed, in order to better align test/classroom tasks with the academic language skills postsecondary students need.

Understanding Inclusivity in Online Learning from a Socio-material Lens

The global pandemic in 2020 has led to a recent rise of digital technologies in higher education internationally, which seems to make learning less restricted in terms of time and space (Oztok, 2019) and enhance inclusion and engagement in learning. However, it is necessary to distinguish the presence and interaction in online learning from true connectedness and inclusivity. Networked learning, as a concept being constantly explored by a small group of researchers since the 1990s and attracting increasing current attention, is built around the different kinds of connections between students and instructors, as well as human and non-humans (NLEC, 2021). This paper emphasizes the need to be aware of the dimension of connection constructed through the assemblage of humans, materials and discourses. Adopting a socio-material perspective, the assumed high accessibility of online learning and the neo-liberal discourse of a ‘good learner’ are challenged and care is proposed as an approach to improve inclusivity in online learning in higher education. This paper is drawn from the data of a comparative research study that explores the online learning experience of undergraduate students in one case study university in China and the UK respectively. The research consisted of qualitative interviews with students and academics in the case discipline Sociology. The findings suggest a mismatch between students’ and teachers’ perception of what makes effective engagement. Although the teachers recognise certain difficulties in online courses, such as technical issues for organizing small group discussions, arguably the implied neo-liberal message is that hard-working ‘good’ students will always participate, regardless of where or how they learn. However, interviews with students in both contexts show that the specific surroundings in formal and informal educational settings, the interaction and support from peers, and the way their status is recognised in the community concomitantly mediate their experience, in addition to their abilities or motivation. This research contributes by highlighting the potential of emergent forms of networked learning in terms of unveiling the issues of established discourses including neoliberalism. It provides suggestions for future practices by proposing the role of care, supported by the findings, in tackling disengagement and exclusion, and pivoting students around supportive learning. Further, it adopts a socio-material perspective that fills a gap created by the dominance of human-centred research, generating reflections on the use of online materials in higher education.

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ В ОСВІТНЬОМУ ПРОЦЕСІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙДИСТАНЦІЙНОГО НАВЧАННЯ

The integration of Ukraine into the European educational space involves strengthening the requirements for the quality of professional training of future specialists. The main task is to create all the conditions for learning, personal and professional development of students, to ensure the effective formation of their professional competence, regardless of the modern challenges and dangers faced by society in the 21st century. Currently, higher education institutions have a dilemma: are they able to move away from the traditional academic style of teaching to innovations, to focus not on knowledge and skills, but to ensure the process of forming the competence of the future specialist. Considering the circumstances, digital technologies are becoming more and more widespread, and in scientific publications there is a debate about the effectiveness of their use in the educational process of higher education. The integration of digital technologies in higher education creates new opportunities for both students and teachers, making learning more interesting, dynamic, visual, etc. The advantages and features of the use of remote technologies to improve the quality of professional training of future specialists in the conditions of a mixed form of organization of the educational process in institutions of higher education, which creates new conditions of learning and cooperation for all participants of the educational process, are considered. The most promising technologies of distance learning are characterized, which have important advantages, taking into account the peculiarities of the professional training of future specialists in the conditions of mixed learning in institutions of higher education. Such technologies include: gamification of the process of professional training of future specialists, quest technologies, cloud-based learning technologies, intelligent information systems in education, mobile learning technologies, immersive technologies. Currently, in the conditions of modern existence and development of society, innovative technologies are offered to higher education seekers, which gradually replace traditional methods of learning and ensure flexibility and quality of the educational process. We see the prospects for further research in the improvement of the educational process by determining the optimal ratio of classroom and remote components in the conditions of a mixed form of education in the process of developing the professional competence of future specialists and developing appropriate educational and methodological support.

Developing A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Development Education Through Digital Tools: Qualitative Insights from Southwest China

This research delves into the intricate utilization of digital technology in higher education, aiming to construct a nuanced conceptual framework to interpret the digitalization of teaching sustainable development. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured in-depth interviews with 25 higher education teachers representing diverse experiences, backgrounds, and expertise from southwest China. The study also incorporated word frequency analysis and sentiment analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the emphasized themes and emotional tones in the discussions. NVivo 12.0 software facilitated meticulous coding and analytical abstraction, allowing the identification of core concepts and relationships among them. The results unveiled prominent themes such as Institutional Support and Policy Integration, Faculty Competence and Training, and Integration of Sustainable Development in Curricula. The sentiment analysis depicted a predominantly positive outlook on the integration of sustainability and digital tools in education, highlighting the perceived advancements and benefits in the field. The word frequency analysis further reinforced the focus on education, sustainability, and digital tools within the research discourse. The study contributes significantly to the academic discourse on digital sustainability education, providing intricate insights and a conceptual framework that can guide future research and practice in the field. It paves the way for refined educational methodologies, curriculum designs, and institutional policies, emphasizing the critical role of digital technology in education for sustainable development.

Digital education in Kazakhstani teacher training system

This article discloses the technology acceptance model (TAM - Technology acceptance model) in the aspect of digital technologies in higher education. The authors present a study of the motivational sphere of technology application by the educators of the higher institutions. The article presents the intermediate and final results of the participation of teachers in the motivational courses of the Coursera platform. The main results obtained in the course of the study indicate an insufficient level of motivation for the use of digital educational technologies in higher education. The application of technology is fragmented. Active participation in international courses increases certain aspects of the motivation for using digital educational technologies due to direct participation in them. The key findings of the research included the following aspects: Coursera platform could serve as a catalyst for transitioning from traditional education to a blended teaching format in higher education institutions; modifying syllabi to incorporate new digital topics has yielded tangible outcomes in the research; the technology acceptance model (TAM) effectively evaluates the level of motivation among higher education educators to utilize digital tools.

Конструктивні та деструктивні наслідки цифровізації закладів вищої освіти

The article substantiates that the formation of a single information and educational space of higher education institutions will have a positive impact on the content, organizational forms and tools for managing the process of providing educational services, as well as will help stimulate scientific and pedagogical workers to introduce innovative digital technologies in various components of the educational process. The risks associated with the digitalization of universities are analyzed; the advantages of digital transformation in higher education are outlined. The article considers digital tools that provide student-teacher communication, learning and efficiency in the educational process, including: video conferencing, electronic platforms, virtual laboratories, video classes, systems for tracking educational achievements. The authors emphasize that under martial law, the most risky situation is that of higher education institutions located in the border and/or frontline regions of Ukraine, most of which still continue blended or online learning, which is possible only through digitalization. The article systematizes both the constructive and the destructive consequences of digitalization with the allocation of endogenous and exogenous consequences among them, which allows to balance approaches to the introduction of digital technologies in higher education and ensure the maximum efficiency of this process. The constructive endogenous consequences of digitalization of higher education institutions include: improving the quality of education, the efficiency of administrative processes and competitiveness, the sustainable development of universities; constructive exogenous consequences include expanding access to education, innovative development and cooperation, involvement of students of border universities in the educational process. In turn, the destructive endogenous consequences are defined as follows: threats to academic integrity, violation of privacy and data security, remoteness of students and teachers, significant workload on teachers, and destructive exogenous consequences – problems of student socialization, digital divide and reduction of motivational aspects in learning. The tasks are outlined, the need to solve which is due to the digital transformation of universities and the development and implementation of digital technologies in their activities. The article substantiates the importance of combining innovative approaches with the preservation of the values and missions of universities, while ensuring equal access to quality higher education and the protection of data of higher education students and teachers, as well as promoting the development of universities on the basis of sustainability.

Designing Multimedia Instructional Materials using Gagne’s Framework in Promoting Adult Learners’ Asynchronous Learning Experiences

This research addresses the challenges faced in Distance Education (DE) by investigating the impact of carefully designed multimedia instructional materials in creating a conducive asynchronous learning experience for adult learners. With the increasing integration of digital technologies in higher education, especially in DE, it becomes imperative to assess and optimize the various teaching tools available to ensure effective educational delivery. The unique challenge in DE is that adult learners often study in isolation, with limited instruction, and at a distance from traditional classroom activities. To mitigate these challenges, multimedia instructional materials are recognized for their potential to enhance the learning experience. This study delves into how the design of instructional materials, supported by technology, contributes to improving the asynchronous learning experience digitally and subsequently the learning outcomes. Well-designed instructional materials have been identified as crucial determinants of success, emphasizing the need for a learner-supported approach employing carefully selected instructional design. It is suggested that institutions offering DE prioritize the creation of high-quality multimedia instructional materials rooted in suitable learning theories, in supporting adult learners in DE to enhance learner satisfaction, improve academic performance, and reduce attrition rates. Further exploration and evaluation of this instructional design framework are certainly called recommended for a testament enhanced credibility for the said framework.

Exploring the relationship between digital competence proficiency and student learning performance

AbstractThe increased use of digital technology in higher education requires university students to be digitally proficient. The main objective of this study is to examine the extent to which university students' proficiency in various digital competences could be helpful towards their learning performance. This study adopted DigComp 2.2 to design a data collection instrument for an online questionnaire survey and conducted data analysis on the valid 314 responses using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM). The findings indicate that, with the exception of safety, the digital competence areas of information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, and problem solving were significant to student learning performance. The findings also revealed that students' current semester had no significant moderating effect on the relationships between their proficiency in digital competence areas and learning performance, with the exception of a relationship between information and data literacy and learning performance, as well as a relationship between problem solving and learning performance, between respondents in semesters 3 and 4, and between respondents in semesters 5 and 6, respectively. The findings contribute to a better understanding of DigComp 2.2's applicability in higher education and can be used by educational institutions and educators to design learning activities and formative assessments that can help students improve their digital competence proficiency.

Literature Review on Emerging Educational Practices Mediated by Digital Technologies in Higher Education, Based on Academic Papers

Compared to the abundant generic research on technologies and education, few studies focus on the scope of whether the technologies used meet the expectations set forth in international reports and to what extent technology contributes to transforming educational practice. Our objective was to identify and analyze the characteristics of educational practices that are being developed in higher education and to assess the value that technology brings to educational practice. We conducted a systematic review of academic papers published in scientific journals: a corpus of 1,207 articles from six journals included in indexed databases (JCR and SJR), selected using Google Scholar Metrics. According to the various records screened, the study we present is based on 49 articles, published between 2018 and 2019. We conclude that beyond their reproducible, enriching, or transformative nature, most of the articles analyzed address the improvement of students’ performance, engagement, or self-perception, in which they positively value the experience of learning mediated by digital technology, although they do not have an impact on the transformative value.

Evaluate and identify the competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education

In recent years, both information technology (IT) labor demand and IT job characteristics have been significantly influenced by the advent of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and the digital age. The higher education sector is expected to upgrade itself with such progress and train graduates capable of meeting the new industry requirements. However, due to the present demand gap, universities are seeking to identify the skills new digital workers are expected to have. As we live in the digital age, the literature has failed to address the questions of the consequences for individual workers adequately. Considerable scientific efforts should be made to design certain curricula and training programs that could nurture digital competencies (DC). There is a need to construct an inclusive framework of the term. In addition, different options exist for studying the DC of the workforce in relation to human resources management (HRM). The current paper attempts to fill the gap by developing an integrated decision-making framework. The paper aims to introduce an innovative discrimination measure and discuss its elegant properties. A Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to the COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) framework for evaluating the MCDM problem on a fuzzy set has been developed based on it. On the other hand, the new methodology of the PF-entropy-RS weight technique is used to compute the criteria weights or significance degrees of criteria. Then, the MARCOS method is a new elegant approach to handle the MCDM problems. Thus, in this study, we have developed a new approach to the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method using the PF-entropy-RS and PF-MARCOS methods and further implemented for the evaluation of the competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education. It helps to calculate the objective/subjective weights of criteria to evaluate the competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education; then, the approach is used to assess the preferences of higher education institutes over different competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education. An empirical case study is carried out in this paper for the evaluation of the most important competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education. In addition, to evaluate the performance quality of the proposed framework, this study also involves some comparison and sensitivity analyses. This study found that data and information processing has emerged as the most important competencies of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education. The ability to interact with modern interfaces is the second most important competency of the future workforce for digital technologies implementation in higher education. In conclusion, the workforce responsible for implementing digital technologies in higher education will significantly impact students’ learning experiences. As technological advancements continue, higher education institutions will require skilled professionals with diverse digital expertise to manage and integrate these technologies successfully.

Effective Strategies using Digital Literacy for Empowering Critical Thinking in Higher Education

In the digital era, digital literacy skills have become important in equipping students with the skills to participate actively in an increasingly connected and complex society. Likewise, critical thinking skills are essential in helping students develop deep understanding, good analysis, and evaluation of the information they encounter. This study aims to investigate effective strategies for using digital literacy to empower critical thinking skills in higher education. This research will adopt a qualitative approach using the case study method in several higher education institutions. Data will be collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis related to digital literacy strategies in the learning environment. Next, the data will be analyzed using a content analysis approach to identify which strategies most effectively empower students' critical thinking skills. It is hoped that the results of this study will provide in-depth insight into how digital literacy can be properly integrated into the higher education curriculum to stimulate students' critical thinking skills. The implication of this research is to provide practical guidance to educators, lecturers, and decision-makers in higher education institutions to design learning strategies that support the development of digital literacy and critical thinking. In addition, this research can also contribute to further research in the field of digital literacy and higher education. With a stronger focus on incorporating digital technologies in higher education, it is hoped that this research will provide valuable directions for the development of relevant and innovative curricula, which in turn will help produce graduates who are not only technically proficient but also able to think critically in facing complex modern world challenges.

Psychological Factors in Students’ Attitudes towards the Digital Educational Environment (Case of Russian and Belarusian Universities)

Introduction. The common educational space of Russia and Belarus is a condition for deepening integration processes underpinned by common historical roots, long experience of common development, goals and principles of cooperation. However, many aspects, including the prerequisites and factors of studentsʼ acceptance of digital technologies in higher education, are not sufficiently studied. The aim of the article is to present the results of research into the psychological factors of digital educational environment acceptance by students of Russian and Belarusian universities. Materials and Methods. The study involved 1 582 students from universities in Russia and Belarus aged 21,3 ± 6,3 years. To identify personality traits, Big Five Inventory-2 was used. The resources of self-regulation were determined using Personal Self-Activation Inventory and Self-Regulation Style Questionnaire. To determine the attitude to learning in the digital educational environment, AUDEE Scale was used, and to determine the attitude to learning activities – Activity-Related Experiences Assessment Technique. Results. The most important factors of digital educational environment acceptance for both samplings (Russia and Belarus) are not personality traits but activity-related experiences: the experience of pleasure in the absence of experiences of effort and void leads to acceptance of the digital educational environment. Modeling of significant conditions for achieving goals, evaluation of results and programming of actions, and insistency for the Belarusian sampling were also noted as important elements of digital educational environment acceptance. Therefore, the main factors are not the personality traits of the student, but the experiences that s/he experiences during the learning activity and some structural components of self-regulation. Similarity in models’ quality and structure for two different countries supports the reliability of the results and serves a basis for practical recommendations for digital educational environment development and preparing students for work in it. Discussion and Conclusions. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the problem of studentsʼ attitude to the university’s digital educational environment. The materials of the article can be useful for university administration and teaching staff to improve both the university’s digital educational environment and the methods of teaching using digital educational environment.