Creative use of information and communication technologies according to university professors and students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of technologies in fostering students’ creativity and motivation in university classrooms, according to professors and students. Nine professors from three groups – those who use information and communication technologies creatively, those who make traditional use of these technologies, and those who do not use information and communication technologies –, were interviewed. Additionally, 249 students completed the Inventory of Teaching Practices for Creativity in Higher Education and the Motivation Scale for Learning. In the professors’ report, it was not noticed a link between technology and the development of creativity. Students whose teachers did not use information and communication technologies evaluated the teaching practices for creativity more positively. The use of digital technologies in the classroom should be planned according to the purposes that are sought to achieve.

The Massive Implementation of ICT in Universities and Its Implications for Ensuring SDG 4: Challenges and Difficulties for Professors

“…The great disruption experienced worldwide in the education sector since 2020 due to COVID-19 [2] has accelerated what had been a trend in the use of digital resources in university classes [28,29,31]. This digitization had to be accelerated to respond to the health crisis [38] and to enable the continuation of teaching in different environments produced by different health scenarios.…”

“…This digitization had to be accelerated to respond to the health crisis [38] and to enable the continuation of teaching in different environments produced by different health scenarios. The digital transformation accelerated by COVID-19 has meant that university professors have had to adapt and train, in record time, in the use of new platforms and digital tools in order to continue with educational activity [3,27,29,31], causing situations of stress and exhaustion among professors [33]. This heterogeneous situation, in terms of emotional management in the face of the use of ICTs, has slowed down the progress of educational quality required by Goal 4 of sustainable development, part of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, but it has also created new opportunities.…”

“…Moodle, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Classroom are some of the most used platforms used to manage teaching content, hold virtual classes, or encourage the interaction of distance classes [27]. There are also other tools, such as WhatsApp, WordPress, Edpuzzle, and H5P, that allow for the interaction between a professor and a student [28,29]. All of them are channels that allow information to be provided, communication between professors and students, as well as self-expression [30].…”

“…The use of digital resources, such as videos, images, websites, blogs, or online forums, among others, has become the norm in university classes in recent years and has been widely accepted by students [28,29,31]. The arrival of the camera increases the need for university faculty professors to be inclusive and to perform at the highest level, even more so if the session is being recorded.…”

Development of Creative Thinking Skill Instruments in Higher Education

“…Fostering creativity in higher education is concerned with improving students' professional competence and personal development (Catarino et al, 2019). Higher Education should also promote creative, and critical students (Vilarinho-Pereira & Fleith, 2021). Most educators and researchers would agree that creativity in higher education is relevant in terms of identifying the right problems (Jahnke & Liebscher, 2020).…”