Bridging Digital Gaps in Rural Teacher Education: Curriculum Innovations for Inclusive and Technology-Driven Pre-Service Training
Oluwatoyin Ayodele Ajani 
& Samantha Govender
Issue: Vol.6 No.13 Article 1 pp. 1-17
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256131 | Published online 11th November, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study examines how curriculum innovation supports inclusive education and boosts the digital competencies of pre-service teachers in rural universities within the context of TPACK, integrating technological knowledge with pedagogy and content. In response to the constraints brought about by rapid digital transformation, a systematic literature review was undertaken, identifying peer-reviewed writings published between 2000 and 2025. The reviewed works considered the crossroads of Digital Technologies, Curriculum Design and Reality of Rural Teacher Education. The results suggest that while digital technologies, such as e-learning, virtual labs, and mobile technologies hold the hope for promising integration, the implementation has so far limited infrastructure, digital illiteracy, and a lack of alignment between curricular intents and classroom practice. Online and hybrid modalities, active learning, and professional development frequently emerged from the analysis as key factors that support digital integration. Based on the TPACK framework, the research emphasizes that curriculum reforms should integrate the use of digital tools into pedagogical practice, not view their use as an occasional extra. It also suggests technology-based teacher preparation programmes that are context-relevant and ideally geared to the specific needs of rural education settings. The study contributes to the debate on the digital transformation of teacher education by providing evidence-based input into curriculum design. It further offers policymakers and educators a platform towards the creation of responsive training models that serve to bridge the digital divide and nurture teaching that is inclusive and ready for the future.
Keywords: Pre-Service Teacher Education, Digital Curriculum Innovation, TPACK Framework, Inclusive Education, Rural Contexts
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Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayodele Ajani is a Senior Lecturer in Curriculum/Education Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a leading scholar in curriculum theory, higher education, and digital transformation in rural contexts. His research explores the intersections of technology, social justice, and pedagogical innovation, particularly through frameworks such as TPACK, UTAUT, and Diffusion of Innovation, to enhance learning and teaching in under-resourced universities. Dr. Ajani’s work on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) foregrounds the need for humanising, decolonial, and equity-driven pedagogies that empower students and educators in rural South Africa. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, contributed to national and international conferences, and mentors emerging academics through SoTL writing retreats and research capacity programmes. His scholarly and professional engagements reflect a sustained commitment to advancing inclusive curriculum reform, digital literacy, and the scholarship of teaching as a transformative force in higher education.
Prof. Samantha Govender is a distinguished scholar and higher education leader whose research and practice focus on curriculum studies, teacher education, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). She has extensive experience in academic development, quality assurance, and the professional growth of university educators across South Africa. Prof. Govender’s work advances inclusive and contextually grounded pedagogies that respond to the complexities of post-apartheid higher education, with a particular emphasis on student success, reflective practice, and curriculum transformation. She has published and presented widely on SoTL, decolonial education, and evidence-based teaching innovations, and she actively mentors emerging academics in building research-informed teaching portfolios. Prof. Govender serves as the Deputy -Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, where she is dedicated to advancing teaching excellence, SoTL capacity-building, and higher education leadership in South Africa.
Ajani, Oluwatoyin Ayodele, and Samantha Govender. “Bridging Digital Gaps in Rural Teacher Education: Curriculum Innovations for Inclusive and Technology-Driven Pre-Service Training.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 13 (2025): 1-17, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256131.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
