Speaker
Description
Oricha, A. I.
Federal College of Education, Okene
azeez.oricha569@gmail.com
Track: Digital Pedagogy and Teaching Innovation
The increasing advancement of digital technologies has significantly reshaped educational systems across the globe, creating remarkable innovations in literary education. However, this development in literary education is limited by the challenges in digital divide such as poor quality literary education, insufficient technology infrastructure, inability to access digital resources. This paper examines the issues of digital divide in relation to the future readiness of literary education in Africa. Drawing on insight from contemporary scholarship featuring educational technology, digital humanities and African literary studies, the study explores how digital technologies can improve profoundly, access to literary knowledge, creativity and critical thinking across socio-cultural contexts in Africa. This paper argues that the future-readiness of literary education is tied inextricably to the strategic integration of ecosystems with Artificial Intelligence (AI), multimedia resources, digital libraries and Information and Communication Technologies. This is to enhance interactive and learner-centred method in the teaching of literature. It also highlights the values of preserving Africa’s literary heritage through digital archiving and providing increasing access to indigenous texts online. While acknowledging optimism about the future-readiness of literary education through inclusive digital activities, pending challenges such as poor digital literacy, inadequate or lack of funding, inadequate teacher capacity building, poor curriculum innovation and lack of digital infrastructures have to be given attention. This paper is of the belief that a well- designed digital ecosystem would foster robust literary activities and cultural sustainability across Africa.