A Study of Digital Literacy Skills of Teachers in Online Learning Environment at Open University Pakistan

Author(s) : Dr. Tooba Saleem,Israna Shaheen,Dr. Nasir Mahmood

Abstract:

This study was proposed to investigate the digital literacy skills of teachers at Allama Iqbal Open University, Pakistan. The digital literacy skills of teachers/resource persons were examined under six dimensions i.e. Devices and Software Operations, Information and Digital literacy, Communication and Collaboration, Digital Content Creation, Safety and Problem solving using Global Framework of UNESCO (2016). Data was collected through an online survey from the teachers and resource persons. The sample consisted of 260 teachers of all departments of four disciplines of AIOU i.e. 150 resource persons from AIOU Islamabad manually and 110 teachers/resource persons from different region of Pakistan online. It was found that overall reliability of the scale was 0.894. The research data were analysed using the descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the inferential statistics, it was found that there was a significant difference in the mean score comparison of information and digital literacy of teachers based on teaching experience. It was also found that there was a significant difference in the mean score comparison of sub-scales of digital literacy skills of teachers i.e. information and digital literacy, digital content creation and problem solving on the basis of online teaching experience of teachers. There was no significant difference found between gender, age, region, program, faculty, online teaching courses and online courses design wise mean score comparison of digital literacy skills and online teaching efficacy of teachers at AIOU. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the training programs may be launched with the help of ICTs.
Keywords: Digital skills, online learning, online teaching, Collaboration