Speaker
Description
Nasir, A. M.
Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare
aliyumohammednasir64@gmail.com
Track: Digital Transformation in Higher Education
Globally, teaching, learning, research and knowledge dissemination have all changed as a result of the quick adoption of digital technology in higher education. To improve educational access and quality, governments and higher education institutions in Africa have made significant investments in digital infrastructure, online learning platforms and information and communication technology. Despite these efforts, there remain significant gaps between the accessibility of digital materials and the extent to which academic staff and students use them. This disparity emphasizes how crucial digital literacy is becoming as a necessary skill for engagement in modern higher education settings. The article highlights that having access to digital technology is not enough to bring about significant changes in education, using current research and policy texts. Instead, optimizing the advantages of technological investments in higher education requires the development of digital literacy competencies, such as information literacy, media literacy among others. In order to highlight current potential and difficulties related to the growth of digital literacy, the discussion places Nigeria within the larger African context. Inadequate training, unequal development of digital skills, infrastructure constraints, and gaps in policy implementation are some of the obstacles to the successful use of digital technology that are further examined in this study. It concludes that, to create learning environments that are resilient, inclusive, and innovative, African higher education institutions should make improvements in digital literacy a top priority. To close the gap between access and efficient use, the paper suggests comprehensive digital literacy frameworks, ongoing capacity-building programmes, curricular integration, and supporting institutional policies. African universities may better equip academics and graduates for the needs of an increasingly digital knowledge society by focusing on the development of digital competencies rather than just providing technology.
Keywords: Digital Literacy, Catalyst, Future-Ready, Digita