TELFest: an approach to encouraging the adoption of educational technologies

Abstract

Barriers to technology adoption in teaching and learning are well documented, with a corresponding body of research focused on how these can be addressed. As a way to combine a variety of these adoption strategies, the University of Sheffield developed a Technology Enhanced Learning Festival, TELFest. This annual, week-long event, emphasises the role technology can play through an engaging learning experience which combines expert-led practical workshops, sharing of practice, discussions and presentations by practitioners. As the popularity of the event has grown and the range of topics expanded, a community of practice has organically coalesced among attendees, supporting the mainstream adoption of several technologies and helping to broaden educational innovation beyond isolated pockets. This paper situates TELFest within the technology adoption literature by providing details about TELFest, outlining the results of an investigation into the impact that it has had on attendees' teaching practice and summarising some of the limitations of the method along with reflections on how to address these limitations in the future.

Understanding academics' adoption of learning technologies: A systematic review

“…Most notably we call for studies that capture the dynamics of adoption and change processes. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Conceptual Errington (2004) x x x x Johnson (2000) x x Lackie (1999) x x x Maddux& Johnson (2010) x x x Schneckenberg (2009) x x Selwyn (2007) x x Somekh (1998) x x x x Wagner et al (2008) x x x Zhang (2010) x x x Review Alshammari et al (2016) x Dusick (1998) x x x x x x Keller (2005) x Barker et al (2018) x Blackburn 2017x x Blevins & Brill (2017) x x x Blin & Munro (2008) x x x Coskuncay & Ozkan 2013x x x x Drent & Meelissen (2007) x x x x Dutton et al (2004) x x x x x x x Forsyth et al (2010) x x x x Habib & Johannesen (2014) x x x x x x Kenny (2004) x x x x * Kirkup & Kirkwood (2005) x x x x * Lashley et al (2017) x x x Latif (2017) x x x x Nicolle & Luo (2008) x x x Wright (2014) x x x Qualitative Alghanmi (2014) x Annabi & Muller (2016) x Barton (2013) x x x Bell & Bell (2005) x x Birch & Burnett 2009x x x x Bottomley et al (1999) x Brill & Galloway (2007) x Brown (2014) x x x Bryant et al (2014) x Carmichael (2015) x Chitiyo & Harmon (2009) x x x x x De Freitas et al 2012x * Enderle et al (2013) x x x…”

“…Other researchers, recognising the constraining and enabling influence of disciplinary perspectives, advocate framing learning technologies within the disciplines and using department-based models (Brzycki & Dudt, 2005) that align with disciplinary pedagogy and practice (Barajas & Gannaway, 2007;Handal et al, 2013). Similarly, communities of practice also provide valuable academic development opportunities (Latif, 2017). As a special form of networks, members of a community of practice not only have connections with each other but also share common interests and even similar professional identities (Wenger, Trayner, & De Laat, 2011).…”

Nostalgia, gamification and staff development – moving staff training away from didactic delivery

“…TELFest is a week-long staff development festival, where colleagues from across the institution come together to share best practice, learn about new pedagogical and technological approaches, and showcase their own work. Sessions are varied between short 'how-to' bitesize sessions, panel discussions where key institutional themes are explored, case studies of practice and more engaging workshop sessions that require staff participation (Latif 2017). With this variety of available formats, we felt comfortable taking a risk to deliver this session: Craft (2005) writes that 'Creativity needs time, flow, interaction, suspension of judgement, and risk-taking'.…”

Survey instrument development and validation to measure technology adoption in dental hygiene clinical environments

“…1 Technology's role is to enhance the delivery of teaching, which in turn has the potential to transform teaching strategies and learning experiences. 2 Institutions of higher education have encouraged faculty to implement new teaching strategies using technology to stay abreast of the evolving learning atmosphere and abilities of digitally adept students. 3 Despite the significant use of technology by students and the push by institutions to incorporate technology, faculty are reluctant to adopt technology for the teaching and learning process.…”

“…3 Despite the significant use of technology by students and the push by institutions to incorporate technology, faculty are reluctant to adopt technology for the teaching and learning process. 2,4 Watty et al 1 attributed reluctance of technology adoption to inadequate support for faculty, including professional development options. Similarly, Vongkulluksn et al 5 related personal characteristics, such as age, gender, and educational experiences, as reasons for reluctance.…”