Digital Technologies in Biology Education: Opportunities and Challenges in Tunisian Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70232/jrmste.v3i4.93Keywords:
Biology Education, Digital Technologies, Inquiry-Based Learning, Science Education, Secondary Schools, TunisiaAbstract
This study explores the integration of digital technologies into biology education in Tunisian secondary schools, with particular attention to their pedagogical opportunities, uses, and implementation challenges. Although educational digitalization has become an increasing priority in educational reform, significant disparities remain in infrastructure, teacher training, technological resources, and access to digital equipment, particularly in developing educational contexts. The study investigates how biology teachers integrate digital technologies into their teaching practices, the main barriers they encounter, and the pedagogical benefits they perceive. A qualitative research design was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis conducted in several Tunisian secondary schools. The participants comprised 18 biology teachers with diverse professional experiences and working in different institutional contexts. Data were analyzed thematically to identify recurrent patterns related to digital teaching practices, technological adaptation, perceived benefits, and educational constraints. The findings indicate that digital technologies can enhance student engagement and participation, facilitate the visualization and understanding of complex biological processes, and promote more interactive and learner-centered forms of teaching. They also provide teachers and students with broader access to scientific resources and support collaborative learning, inquiry-based approaches, and the diversification of instructional strategies. However, the integration of digital technologies remains constrained by inadequate technological infrastructure, limited opportunities for continuous professional development, unstable internet connectivity, unequal access to digital equipment, and insufficient institutional support. The study concludes that sustainable and effective digital integration requires not only adequate technological resources but also continuous teacher training, stronger institutional support, and educational policies adapted to local conditions. These findings highlight the importance of addressing contextual inequalities in order to promote meaningful and equitable digital transformation in biology education in Tunisia.
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