Conceptualising a framework for digitally transforming teacher education in the South African context

• Published in: Journal of education (Durban) Vol. 2024; no. 97; pp. 4 - 28
• Main Authors: Arek-Bawa, Orhe, Reddy, Sarasvathie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of KwaZulu-Natal 30.01.2025; University of KwaZulu-Natal on behalf of the South African Education Research Association
• Subjects: 4IR classroom; active digital pedagogies framework; Digital transformation; Education & Educational Research; Education, Scientific Disciplines; Education, Special; SAMR; Teacher education; TPACK; TPACK; active digital pedagogies framework; teacher education; SAMR; digital transformation; 4IR classroom
• ISSN: 0259-479X; 2520-9868; 2520-9868
• DOI: 10.17159/2520-9868/i97a01

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have been subdued, online learning has come to stay not only because of its numerous advantages but because the digitised global trend continues to unravel. This necessitated a project aimed at understanding how a School of Education (SoE) in South Africa prepares future teachers for the digitised classroom. Since then, diverse aspects of the digital pedagogical practices in the Bachelor of Education programme have been investigated including the digital curricular readiness of the SoE, its e-textbook capabilities, and academics’ and students’ experiences of digital pedagogy. In this paper, we draw from these empirical findings to conceptualise a framework for shaping educational futures. We employ the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge and Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition models to explain the requirements for the digital transformation of teacher education in South Africa. We used a qualitative case study research design to conceptualise an Active Digital Pedagogies framework that academics can employ to develop student teachers for the future workplace. The framework contributes access to quality education for all by guiding policy directions at classroom, institutional, and national higher education system levels.