Abstract:

Disruptions of teaching and learning during lockdown became a concern for higher education. The question that vexed facilitators amid the Corona 19 epidemic was how to maximize the use of digital technologies to curb the disrupted teaching and learning. This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study of eight lecturers and 16 students’ perceptions of the impact of digital technologies. The purpose was to uncover the use and the impact of digital technologies in curtailing the disrupted face-to-face teaching and learning brought about by the Covid 19 epidemic. Data were collected qualitatively using interviews for lecturers and focused group discussions for students and were thematically analyzed. Despite challenges experienced during the country’s lockdown stage whereby some lecturers grappled with the application of specific technological tools and students with data and connectivity, the use of digital technologies left an impact on technological advances in the teaching and learning space. The findings demonstrated the use of digital technologies in the 21st century as one of the suitable strategies that increased creativity and reached out to a diversity of students. To improve the application of digital tools, the study proposes that facilitators should get extensive training to maximize the use of digital tools to impact quality and innovative ways of teaching and learning. The recommendation is that data and connectivity issues must be worked out through a partnership between the government and the private sector.

Keywords:

Covid 19 lockdown, digital technologies, impact, responsiveness, teaching, and learning disruptions.