Speaker
Description
Adeiza, O. A.
Federal College of Education, Okene
obakachiab@gmail.com
Track: Digital Pedagogy and Teaching Innovation
The digitalization has transformed the production, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge across disciplines. However, significant disparities in technological access continue to shape educational experiences in many developing regions, particularly in Anglophone West Africa. Within the field of Literary Studies, digital technologies have opened new possibilities for research, archiving, teaching, and scholarly collaboration. Yet, many higher institutions in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia continue to grapple with infrastructural deficiencies, inadequate digital literacy, limited access to electronic resources, and insufficient digital preservation initiatives. This paper examines the digital gap in Anglophone West African Literary Studies through the interconnected lenses of access, archives, and pedagogy. Drawing upon Digital Humanities scholarship, the study explores how digital technologies can democratize literary knowledge, preserve African literary heritage, and enhance innovative teaching practices. The paper argues that bridging the digital gap requires a comprehensive strategy involving infrastructural development, digital archiving initiatives, curriculum reform, capacity building, and regional collaboration among higher education institutions. Ultimately, the paper envisions a more inclusive and technologically enabled literary ecosystem capable of positioning Anglophone West African institutions as active participants in global knowledge production.