“According to the student survey, some students felt isolated and disconnected from faculty while studying online. Meanwhile, technical issues and varying levels of digital literacy among faculty were identified as impediments to showing concern.”
Dr. Philomina Jacob’s recent talk in IHM Seminar Series on Technology and Caring in Higher Education explored the evolving role of digital tools in education and their impact on fostering a caring and inclusive learning environment. She emphasised that while technology enhances accessibility and efficiency, its integration must be guided by ethical and relational considerations to ensure student well-being.
Moreover, by drawing insights from prior studies and her experiences, she outlined the key themes:
Technology as a Relational Medium –Technology plays a key role in supporting how students can learn key concepts and implement them practically in real-life scenarios. However, digital technologies should not only serve as mechanisms for efficiency but should support meaningful educator-student interactions. As a result, all of the key technologies that are designed for higher education should be designed with care and can nurture inclusivity and emotional well-being.
“According to the student survey, some students felt isolated and disconnected from faculty while studying online. Meanwhile, technical issues and varying levels of digital literacy among faculty were identified as impediments to showing concern.”
Care-centred Approach – The development of educational technologies ought to be centred to support of students, equity, and engagement opportunities. Tools for adaptive learning and personalised support systems can be helpful in meeting the varied educational requirements of students.
“Students valued timely responses to enquiries and proactive engagement feedback. More precisely, consecutive and personalised feedback on assignments and assessments were seen as a demonstration. However, students felt supported due to faculty availability and accessibility beyond scheduled class times, such as virtual office hours”
Reimagining Educational Technology – Many digital tools unintentionally perpetuate biases and inequalities. However, key ethical considerations must be built into their design to ensure fairness and accessibility. As a result, faculty at higher education institutions along with policymakers should work together to create tools that promote trust, empathy, and student success.
Finally, Dr. Jacob addressed faculty perspectives on demonstrating care in online education. According to her, students value timely communication and personalised feedback, as well as feeling supported when faculty are available to assist them outside of scheduled hours, all of which contribute to a supportive digital learning experience. She also emphasised AI’s growing role in education while recognising its limitations in addressing emotional and psychological aspects of student care.
Lastly, she concluded that caring in education is not just a teacher-student relationship but an institutional commitment. However, it is the human touch that ultimately defines the essence of caring in higher education. In alignment with IHM’s core value of caring, educators must actively foster a supportive and inclusive online learning environment, ensuring that technology serves not only as a tool for efficiency but also as a means to strengthen meaningful connections and student well-being.