Page 68 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education

Tina Štemberger and Andreja Klančar

how to manage exams when someone has big numbers of students, how to
engage students, general teaching strategies, effective learning.
They also stated they need more trainings on innovative methods and
strategies to save time or how to stretch day from 4 to 8 hours. Some (7
participants) stated they do not need additional courses and some (6) do not
really know what they need. One stated that he/she prefers traditional ex-ca-
thedra approach. Two respondents also point out that would need technical
support to learn innovative teaching methods.

Conclusion
The study highlights that active teaching strategies such as problem-based
learning, team-based learning, and scenario-based learning are the most fre-
quently adopted among UP academic staff, while methods like gamification,
design thinking, and cooperative learning remain underutilized due to time
constraints, lack of resources, or limited training.
Regarding teaching methods, it was determined that discussion and team-
work are the most frequently used methods. Respondents moderately use
role-playing, case studies and brainstorming. On the other hand, jigsaw,
learning contracts and I-Search and used very rarely.
Digital tools such as Google Drive and YouTube are frequently used, where-
as gamified tools and AI applications like ChatGPT show moderate adoption,
reflecting potential for further integration. Major barriers include time con-
straints, limited access to resources and technology, and lack of pedagogical
and digital skills, alongside resistance to change and perceptions that inno-
vative methods are not universally applicable as significant challenges. Re-
spondents emphasized the need for targeted training in digital tools, AI, and
innovative teaching methods, as well as strategies for engaging students and
managing large groups. These findings underscore the importance of institu-
tional support and professional development to enhance the effective use of
innovative teaching methods in higher education.
Specifically, they point to the need for systematic organisation and deliv-
ery of trainings for higher education professor, focusing on specific teaching
strategies and methods, as well as on general pedagogical knowledge. In
order to overcome prejudices and reservations about the use of digital tech-
nology for learning and teaching, trainings should also provide informed ex-
perience of the use of different teaching strategies and methods and digital
tools. The university also needs to ensure access to the necessary equipment,
as well as to provide professors with the possibilities with additional training,
especially in terms of time and decreasing teaching load.

68