Abstract
The need for efficient, inclusive, and contextually sensitive teacher professional development in digital learning has increased due to the pressure on teachers to adopt digital tools in their teaching practice. This study compares and contrasts the opinions of teachers about Digital Learning Professional Development Programmes (DLPDPs) at a public township school and a private school in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study tackles enduring inequalities in resource availability, infrastructural dependability, and the calibre of digital training, acknowledging that professional development is crucial for providing teachers with the digital abilities required in contemporary classrooms.
Using a qualitative, comparative case study design, the study evaluates the experiences, difficulties, and opinions of ten teachers—five from each school type based on a teacher survey and semi-structured interviews. The results show that there are notable differences between the two schooling environments in terms of institutional support given to teachers and the digital readiness of the school. Although they pointed out drawbacks including platform instability and prohibitive expenses, private school teachers reported feeling more comfortable utilising digital technologies, benefited from greater institutional support, and used technology more frequently. Township school instructors, on the other hand, encountered more significant challenges, such as inconsistent access to technology, a lack of post-training mentorship, and challenges when switching from conventional teaching techniques. One important finding is that teachers' adoption of digital pedagogies and their assessments of professional development programmes are significantly influenced by their access to technology.
This study found that many teachers from both public and private township schools saw professional development (PD) programmes as mandatory rather than growth-oriented, and they frequently saw them as divorced from their classroom reality. Teachers in public schools, in particular, were more reluctant to embrace new technologies and preferred more conventional approaches. With teachers reporting a preference for interactive, hands-on techniques and sustained follow-up, the research emphasises the need for context-sensitive, continuous support and training. The study emphasises the significance of matching technology, pedagogy, and content to the unique requirements of every educational situation by drawing on the TPACK paradigm. Therefore, active teachers, access to relevant resources, and strong support networks are necessary for the successful integration of digital tools.
The study also makes the case that effective DLPDPs should integrate a thorough strategy that integrates technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK framework), going beyond the development of technical skills. The necessity of consistent, practical instruction catered to their unique classroom circumstances was underlined by participants from both institutions. The study concludes that real advancements in digital education require both fair distribution of technology and long-
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term, realistic professional development that takes into account the many environments in which teachers operate.
The necessity for varied and equitable DLPDPs that meet the unique problems faced by teachers in public and private schools is highlighted by these findings, which have significant policy and practice implications. In a time of increasing reliance on technology, programmes that match training to teachers' contextual demands can promote pedagogical innovation, digital proficiency, and improved learning outcomes.