Evaluating the Integration of Digital Pedagogies in the Continuing Professional Development of English-Language Academic Staff: A Case Study of Three Nigerian Universities

Traditional approaches to English-language instruction provide a solid foundation for effective language teaching, but they often fail to meet students' current and situational needs. While digital pedagogies have advanced significantly, they are now essential for today’s language teachers and students, who both require new and continually updated skill sets. In Nigeria, research suggests that English-language academics do not fully engage in training in digital pedagogies (Aremu, 2024). To explore this context, the thesis examined the integration of digital pedagogies in Nigeria's continuing professional development (CPD) programme for English-language academics in three federal universities in southwest Nigeria. The study employed the gender-sensitive Feminist-CIPP framework. The overarching goal was to explore contextual impacts, implementation processes, programme inputs and outcomes; to identify gender-based designs for accessing involvement and developing digital pedagogical proficiency; to assess how English-language academics utilised CPD. The study examined the integration of digital pedagogies into CPD training for academics and their perceptions of the process. Given the importance of UN SDGs 4 and 5b in Nigeria, the research also investigated the differences in perceptions between male and female English-language academics regarding the value of their CPD and their use of digital technology to explore potential gender- and/or digital inequalities in this area. Four research questions guided the main study: (RQ1) What is the context of the CPD programme for English-language academics in Nigerian universities? (RQ2) How does implementing the CPD programme equip English-language academics to develop digital pedagogies? (RQ3) What are the English-language academics and facilitators’ perceptions of the CPD curriculum for digital pedagogies? (RQ4) How have the digital pedagogies CPD curriculum objectives been achieved for the academic staff? A mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilising case studies to examine these issues. The research survey employed a descriptive design, and the study population consisted of 60 English-language academics selected via the enumeration technique from three universities. Questionnaires were distributed to the study participants, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including percentages, means, and standard deviations; qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using NVivo and thematic analysis to report my findings. The research revealed notable challenges in integrating digital pedagogies into CPD programmes for female English-language academic staff, particularly in Nigerian universities, hindering their successful implementation. The findings suggested that implementing a structured digital pedagogy CPD curriculum can enhance staff performance and improve service delivery. The study recommends a collaborative approach involving the government, educational policymakers, the National Universities Commission, HE authorities, and academic staff to facilitate the effective implementation of the digital pedagogy CPD curriculum and to encourage female participation in CPD programmes. While this study focused on academic staff, future research could also explore students' perspectives on digital pedagogies as they relate to learning and academic performance and assess the impact of staff training on learning outcomes. Furthermore, future research could explore ways to encourage female academic staff to adopt digital pedagogies more like those of their male counterparts in their day-to-day teaching and learning.