Research Summary: Academics’ (Re) construction of teacher identities in the context of technology integration at a South African university

The integration of technology into higher education is compelling academics to redefine their professional identities and pedagogical approaches, shifting towards more interactive and student-centred teaching. This transition, observed in a South African university context, necessitates continuous adaptation to digital tools, multimedia, and data analytics. While fostering innovation, it also creates identity tensions for educators as they navigate evolving roles and skill requirements.

Why it matters

The evolving role of technology in educational delivery fundamentally alters the professional landscape for educators, impacting instructional quality and institutional agility. Understanding these identity shifts is critical for developing supportive frameworks that ensure effective technology adoption and maintain educator well-being and retention across the sector.

Key insights

• Technology integration in higher education is driving the re-construction of academic professional identities.
• Academics are compelled to transition from traditional teaching methods to interactive, student-centred approaches.
• This shift requires continuous adaptation to emerging digital tools, multimedia integration, and data analytics for student monitoring.
• The process of adapting to technology integration introduces identity tensions for academics.
• The analysis draws on identity theory and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model.
• The study was a qualitative case study conducted at a South African university with 12 academics.

Source

Educational Technology Research and Development — https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11423-026-10708-w