INTEGRATING PEDAGOGY AND TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHER
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AT ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY: PRACTICES
AND ISSUES

INTEGRATING PEDAGOGY AND TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHER
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AT ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY: PRACTICES
AND ISSUES

ROSEMARY NGARA

Since there seemed to be minimal integration of technology and pedagogy in teacher
development programmes in Open and distance education a case study was conducted to
determine ways by which technology had been integrated in teacher development programmes at
Zimbabwe Open University ( ZOU) and to establish impediments that were there in trying to
effectively integrate technology in teacher pedagogy at ZOU. The case study investigated
opinions held about the integration of pedagogy and technology in the teacher development
programmes by students and tutors. The study established that tutors only used modern
technology effectively as they communicated with students via telephone. Use of modern
technology in tutorials was very minimal. There was a clear indication that lecturers’ use of
technology lagged behind technological advancement and this was attributed to technological
phobia. On line discussions were one way by which technology use could be integrated in
teacher development programmes. In addition, e- marking could be done and power point and
videos could be used in tutorial sessions. Tutors had inadequate experiences using digital
technologies even those which were available at ZOU. Tutor and student continual training by
Zimbabwe Open University on the usefulness of technology and that tutors at ZOU should make
deliberate effort to use technological devices that are already at the institution were
recommended

Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research

2016