Improving Content Knowledge and Technological Skill of University Instructors: A Case Study for Online Learning Implementation during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study were to investigate and improve the university instructor's content knowledge and technological skills relating to digital learning. The research participants involved 260 lecturers from eleven education departments that teach 260 subject matters at a private university in NTB Province, Indonesia. We verified the instructor's content knowledge through the availability of course materials suitable to students' competencies needed and their potential. Then, it identified the instructor's skill in using information and communications technology (ICT) devices and analyzed the data. Enforcing an online learning workshop for the instructors who still had low digital knowledge, we evaluated their efforts during workshop activities. This research found that in the online learning process during and post the COVID-19 pandemic, the lecturers' course material preparation was generally unsatisfactory, even though they had good competencies in the use of ICT tools. This study gave information that the instructors who had abilities to digital devices did not automatically provide good services in online learning and technology adaptation processing for students. Fortunately, by training lecturers in the e-learning platform, the institution's efforts have to be successful in solving this problem. The training approach appertained dealing with the content knowledge improvement could affect their productivity in creating the learning media based on ICT and the presentation to be interesting. The instructors could enrich the content quality. The simulation exercise of the e-learning platform improved the instructors' competency related to the benefits of e-learning devices, the arranging of course materials, and students' learning activities management. For future development, we suggest that the institution must provide progressive support and training to ensure the continuity of online learning in the university. © 2022, City University of Hong Kong Press. All rights reserved.