Role of Information Technology in Professional Development During COVID-19 – A Study with Reference to the Holistic Approach

Abstract

Evolving situations in all sectors call for the need to embrace innovative changes, and teaching is no exception. Changes by themselves do not ensure permanence, as evidenced by the significant shifts in teaching and learning strategies brought about by the recent deadly outbreak. From those educated in the 1970s to millennials, educators are compelled to transition from traditional blackboard teaching to advanced blended and collaborative teaching methods. In this context, it is crucial for teachers in higher education institutions to study the significance of information technology (IT) in developing their profession and to understand the extent to which they can adapt to modern technologies in teaching. This study takes a holistic approach to examine teachers' knowledge, pedagogical practices, and their evolving attitudes as a result of professional development. It also analyses the impact of technology on their professional growth. The purposive sampling technique was employed for this. Both basic descriptive analysis and a structural equation model were employed to investigate the proposed model.