The use of the internet in higher education : Academics’ experiences of using ICTs for teaching and learning

Purpose – To explore academics’ experiences of using information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis of three discipline‐specific focus group discussions held with academics based in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that use ICTs for teaching their students. Findings – The most common use of ICTs in all subjects was to provide students with access to a range of online resources. Academics’ motivations for using ICTs included: enhancing the educational experience for their students; to compensate for some of the changes occurring in higher education, such as the rise in student numbers and demand for flexible learning opportunities; and personal interest and enjoyment. The difficulties academics encountered when using these technologies for teaching included: a lack of time; dissatisfaction with the software available; and copyright. Research limitations/implications – This is a small scale, exploratory study. Further research is required that is sampled in such a way as to ensure that the findings can be generalized to all academics in all institutions in the UK. Practical implications – The institutional, middle managerial, staff and student level all need to be considered when encouraging the further adoption of new technologies for teaching and learning in higher education. Institutional level strategies must also account for the diversity of ways ICTs may be used in teaching in different contexts across the institution. Originality/value – Research exploring academics’ experiences of using ICTs for teaching and learning is scarce. Further work is required to ensure the successful development and implementation of future technological and policy developments in this area.