Challenges of Using Digital Learning Resources among Higher Education Students in Nepal: A TPACK Framework Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the challenges faced by higher education students on the use of digital learning resources in classrooms during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among higher education students studying in the Master of Education (M.Ed.) programme with specialized in Health Education from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal employing an exploratory qualitative research design with a narrative inquiry approach. For this study, three campuses under the TU were selected purposively, where three focus group discussions were conducted to solicit information from 18 participants, with six from each campus. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) explanatory framework was used to analyze the data under four broader themes: technological challenges, pedagogical challenges, content-related challenges, and other challenges. The findings of the study indicated that the students faced multiple levels of challenges such as lack of personal hardware devices, internet service, and appropriate knowledge of using digital learning resources like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, along with financial and pedagogical challenges that further impeded their access to these resources. Despite the university's adoption of online classroom teaching guidelines, the implementation was ineffective, and the curriculum remained outdated, hindering the ability to envision classroom activities beyond the university's premises. The study underscores the need for systemic reforms, including investments in ICT-based infrastructure, faculty professional development programs, curriculum modernization, and policy reform to ensure equitable access and effective digital learning. Future researchers are encouraged to conduct intervention-based studies in collaboration with stakeholders to address the underlying challenges as identified by this study.