Speaker
Description
Ahmad, M. S.
Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel
muhammadsahmed@jscoeg.edu.ng
Track: Digital Transformation in Higher Education
TOPIC: Advancing Digital Literacy in Teacher Education for Future-Ready Higher
Education in Nigeria.
Abstract
The rapid technological advancement of the 21st century has transformed global education, making a digital literacy a crucial component in teaching and learning, especially at higher education level. However, in Nigeria, factors attributed to limited access to ICT facilities, poor internet services, inadequate digital infrastructure, and insufficient digital competencies constraints the effective advancement of teacher-producing institutions. These challenges plays significant role in broadening the digital divide in higher education institutions in the country, and also limits their capacity to respond positively and effectively to the emerging technological and digital transformation in education. Therefore, this paper examines the role of the digital-literacy towards the advancement of teacher education for future-ready higher education in Nigeria. This paper explores the importance of digital-competency in teaching and learning, ICT integration in teacher preparation programs, and the growing relevance of e-learning and blended learning approaches in contemporary education. Additionally, the study further discusses factors such as infrastructural limitations, inadequate professional training, insufficient institutional support, and policy implementation gaps as major barriers to affective development in digital literacy. Drawing from relevant literature, policy documents, and current educational technology trends, this paper identified promising approaches towards addressing the emerging challenges facing digital transformation in Nigeria’s higher education system. Therefore improving digital literacy among teacher educators and student-teachers, alongside greater ICT investment, capacity building, supportive policies, and technology integration, can enhance instructional delivery and educational quality in Nigeria’s higher education. Collectively, these measures are promising in building a future-ready educational institutions in Nigeria, and other African countries facing similar challenges.
Keywords: Digital Literacy, ICT Integration, Digital Divide, Higher Education, Educational Transformation, Future-Ready Education.