EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF INSTITUTIONAL WORKSHOPS ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Rapid technological progress calls for continuous professional development in digital literacy for academic staff to accommodate the transformative integration of educational technology within education. This research assesses the effects of faculty participation in such workshops and its subsequent practical application in educational contexts. Utilising purposive sampling, twenty-one academic members who consistently attended educational technology workshops during 2021-2023 completed a closed-response online questionnaire using Microsoft Forms. The study incorporates the Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model’s (KEM) and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework to provide rigour in its evaluation of training efficacy. Our findings reveal substantial barriers to sustained technology integration, namely limited post-workshop support, insufficient time for practical application, unreliable infrastructure, and varying levels of digital literacy among academic staff. This data highlights the need for strategic enhancements in workshop structure and presentation to better cultivate substantial technological integration within teaching practices.