Promoting Digital Literacy in Higher Education: Case Study of a Medical Laboratory Program in Malaysia

Abstract

Digital literacy has become a significant challenge in the education industry. Even the policymakers are now requiring digital literacy components to be incorporated in the learning domain. Thus, in reaching the goals, Medical Laboratory Technology educators should be digitally more literate. This study aims; 1) to investigate the perspectives of educators with regards to the implementation of digital literacy in teaching and learning for Medical Laboratory Programme; 2) to explore on how digital literacy in teaching and learning for Medical Laboratory Programme are implemented; 3) to identify the challenges of implementation of digital literacy in teaching and learning for Medical Laboratory Programme including ways to overcome it; 4) to identify the sustainability measures in implementing digital literacy in teaching and learning for Medical Laboratory Technology programme. This study employed a qualitative semi-structured interview to collect data from selected participants at a higher education institution in Kuala Lumpur. Following the theme analysis, the data was thoroughly examined in several stages before being reported. According to the findings, participants employed a variety of digital mediums or platforms to integrate digital literacy into teaching and learning. All of the participants expressed enthusiasm for the application of digital literacy in teaching and learning. They adhere to the syllabus requirements, design excellent instruction, utilise various literacies, and continually improve. However, difficulties such as a lack of digital competency, resources constraints, and a restricted budget were some of the identified barriers to digital literacy adoption. As a result, educators have to develop innovative planning and support strategies to address these issues. Therefore, this study suggests that greater consideration should be given to digital literacy by developing technical facilities, pedagogy, and policymakers.