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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation
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Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Higher Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2025) | Viewed by 2391

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chris Campbell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Canberra School of Professional Studies, UNSW Canberra, Canberra 2601, Australia
Interests: emerging technologies; digital transformation; innovation in higher education; online pedagogies; online learning transformation
Associate Professor Lynn Gribble

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Management & Governance, UNSW Business School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: AI in education; digitally enhanced teaching; digital innovation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Technological innovation has been informing and transforming higher education for over 30 years. While it is noted that the speed of this transformation increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, technology innovation is now at the centre of inclusive and accessible learning and teaching practice, particularly blended and online teaching.

Universities need to be strategic in their innovation practices to improve learning and teaching while enhancing the student experience for all (Kane et al., 2022). Introducing new and emerging educational technologies, trialling, failing and the subsequent widescale roll-out often sees innovation being adopted and adapted across the sector to meet the various needs of the student population in the context of each university. 

At the same time, student needs, such as the preference and/or necessity to study online, have driven widespread adoption of certain educational technologies to both enable and enhance learning. However, when employing any technology, we must consider the importance of ensuring the best learning experience for all. Digital technologies and higher education transformation can assist with this, as has been shown throughout the long history in this area.

This Special Issue seeks to move innovation from the singular classroom or lone campus to enable others to learn from, adopt and adapt practices and research from where these innovations have been used. Submissions should report authentic, empirical research and include lessons learnt and best practice moving forward to inform the sector in a learning organisation approach (Senge 1990). 

Technological innovation can help connect and prepare students for the workforce. It encourages online collaboration and transformation across learning and teaching in various ways and can support all types of learners across new and engaging environments. It can provide a safe place for students to learn about, use and engage with AI in order to be productive members of the workforce of the future.

Original research articles are invited for submission. The scope of the submission should be transformative innovation in the broader higher education sector. Research works including these topics are particularly invited and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Innovation in higher education;
  • Higher education transformation;
  • Online learning transformation/innovation;
  • Digital uplift at scale;
  • Gen AI innovation in learning and teaching;
  • Innovation in teaching the use of AI;
  • The implementation of emerging technologies at scale;
  • Strategic innovation;
  • Curriculum innovation;
  • Sustainability in learning and teaching innovation;
  • Technological innovation incubation and implementation;
  • Online/virtual universities;
  • Digital technology innovation;
  • Technological innovation in assessment.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Chris Campbell
Associate Professor Lynn Gribble
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • innovation in higher education
  • higher education transformation
  • online learning transformation/innovation
  • digital uplift at scale
  • gen AI innovation in learning and teaching
  • innovation in teaching the use of AI
  • implementation of emerging technologies at scale
  • strategic innovation
  • curriculum innovation
  • sustainability in learning and teaching innovation
  • technological innovation incubation and implementation
  • online/virtual universities
  • digital technology innovation
  • technological innovation in assessment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 258 KiB  
Article
Strategic Digital Change in Action: A Transferable Model for Teacher Competence Development
by Alberto A. Jiménez-Hidalgo, Linda Castañeda and María Dolores Lettelier
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15081018 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 297
Abstract
This article presents a case of strategic and participatory institutional innovation in higher education, focused on developing teacher digital competence (TDC) as a key enabler of sustainable digital transformation. In response to the post-pandemic challenges faced by the National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), [...] Read more.
This article presents a case of strategic and participatory institutional innovation in higher education, focused on developing teacher digital competence (TDC) as a key enabler of sustainable digital transformation. In response to the post-pandemic challenges faced by the National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), a large and multi-campus public university in Argentina, the European CUTE methodology was adapted and implemented to align professional development with institutional planning. Grounded in the DigCompEdu framework, this action-oriented process moved beyond individual initiatives to create a coordinated, multi-level strategy involving educators, department leaders, and university authorities. Through a research-based design that included context analysis, participatory diagnosis, and co-designed interventions, the project built a shared understanding of digital teaching needs and institutional readiness. The implementation highlights how locally adapted frameworks, collaborative structures, and iterative decision-making can drive meaningful change across a complex university system. This case contributes to the international conversation on how higher education institutions can operationalize innovation at scale by investing in teacher competence, inclusive processes, and strategic alignment. Lessons learned from this experience are relevant for universities seeking to build institutional capacity for digital transformation in diverse educational contexts with potential downstream benefits for student learning and inclusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation)
11 pages, 441 KiB  
Article
Medical Education: Are Reels a Good Deal in Video-Based Learning?
by Daniel Humberto Pozza, Fani Lourença Neto, José Tiago Costa-Pereira and Isaura Tavares
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15080981 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 334
Abstract
Based on our question, “Are reels/short-videos the real deal in video-based learning?” this study explores the effectiveness of short (around 2 min) video-based learning in engaging medical students from the second large medical Portuguese school. With the increasing integration of digital tools in [...] Read more.
Based on our question, “Are reels/short-videos the real deal in video-based learning?” this study explores the effectiveness of short (around 2 min) video-based learning in engaging medical students from the second large medical Portuguese school. With the increasing integration of digital tools in education, video content has emerged as a dynamic method to enhance learning experiences. This cross-sectional survey was conducted by using anonymous self-administered questionnaires, prepared with reference to previous studies, and distributed to 264 informed students who voluntarily agreed to participate. This sample represented 75.5% of the students attending the classes. The questionnaires included topics related to the 65 short videos about practical classes, as well as the students’ learning preferences. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. The students considered that the content and format of the videos were adequate (99.6% and 100%, respectively). Specifically, the videos helped the students to better understand the practical classes, consolidate and retain the practical content, and simplify the study for the exams. Additionally, the videos were praised for their high-quality audiovisual content, being innovative, complete, concise, short and/or adequate, or better than other formats such as printed information. The combination of written and audiovisual support materials for teaching and studying is important and has been shown to improve students’ performance. This pedagogical methodology is well-suited for the current generation of students, aiding not only in study and exam preparation but also in remote learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation)
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17 pages, 1798 KiB  
Article
Evaluating a Guided Personalised Learning Model in Undergraduate Engineering Education: A Data-Driven Approach to Student-Centred Pedagogy
by Yue Chen, Ling Ma, Pireh Pirzada and Kok Keong Chai
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15070925 - 20 Jul 2025
Viewed by 386
Abstract
This study investigates the implementation and impact of the Guided Personalised Learning (GPL) model, a structured pedagogical framework designed to operationalise personalised and student-centred learning in STEM higher education. The GPL model integrates three interconnected components: a three-dimensional knowledge and skill grid, Interactive [...] Read more.
This study investigates the implementation and impact of the Guided Personalised Learning (GPL) model, a structured pedagogical framework designed to operationalise personalised and student-centred learning in STEM higher education. The GPL model integrates three interconnected components: a three-dimensional knowledge and skill grid, Interactive Learning Progress Assessments (ILPA), and an adaptive learning resource pool. These components were embedded into two undergraduate engineering modules, Network Engineering and Software Engineering, at a UK university. A mixed-method evaluation, centred on student attainment data across two academic years, revealed statistically significant improvements among students who engaged with GPL, particularly those who completed ILPA activities. Participation was associated with higher mean grades, increased proportions of high achievers, and reduced failure rates. These findings demonstrate the GPL model’s effectiveness in supporting learner autonomy, formative assessment, and targeted feedback, while offering a scalable strategy for integrating personalised learning into mainstream STEM curricula. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation)
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11 pages, 197 KiB  
Article
Game Changing: Incorporating Technology into Social Work Research for Social Change
by Adrienne Baldwin-White and Reem Shawkat
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060729 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 581
Abstract
In the digital era, technology is being utilized for educational purposes and to develop interventions. There are several known applications of technology in multiple disciplines. However, the social sciences, in particular, have been slow to adopt technologies for intervention, prevention, and educational tools. [...] Read more.
In the digital era, technology is being utilized for educational purposes and to develop interventions. There are several known applications of technology in multiple disciplines. However, the social sciences, in particular, have been slow to adopt technologies for intervention, prevention, and educational tools. In addition, for those who want to integrate technology into current programming or develop technology to address a problem, there are no resources on how to engage in the integration or development process. This paper sought to address this gap by documenting the development process of a video game that was created to address the issue of gender-based violence among college students. Specifically, it focuses on the design and piloting of a narrative-based game centered on beliefs and behaviors related to gender-based violence. The aim of the game is to offer an alternative approach to existing prevention programs, particularly targeting emerging adults in college settings due to their prolific and preference for the use of technology, the high rates of sexual and dating violence on college campuses, and their need for more engaging gender-based violence prevention education strategies. This paper intended to contribute to ongoing dialogue and efforts related to the creation and integration of technology in the helping professions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Higher Education Development and Technological Innovation)
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