Overcoming barriers to digital transformation of higher education

Abstract

The modern world can hardly be imagined without digital technologies. They are used in any sphere of human activity, education being one of them. Using digital technologies in higher education is not just an option anymore; it is an imperious necessity conditioned by a number of factors. Digital technologies are widely used by students for developing their personalized learning environment. However, technology adoption and use by instructors is uneven and often quite modest. Of course, there are faculty members actively and effectively using and promoting available digital teaching tools, as well as those just willing (or unwilling) to do it due to various types of barriers. Sometimes it looks contradictory enough, as most instructors are active users of digital technologies in their personal lives, but in classrooms, some of them encounter serious technical, logistical, and pedagogical problems. Understanding the reasons for some reluctancy to incorporate technology, as well as teachers’ concerns in this respect, can essentially contribute to the enhancement of learning environment and professionalism. The present study aims to extend what is known about the factors and issues negatively affecting the adoption and use of modern technologies by faculty members, as well as to offer some recommendations for solving problems and reducing the barriers to technology adoption. CZU: 378.147:004; JEL: I23, O30; DOI: https://doi.org/10.53486/cike2022.20