Academic Literacies and the Pedagogical Demands of Technology-Based Education
As technology-intensive programmes become increasingly complex and multimodal, the literacy demands placed on students extend beyond traditional expectations. Drawing on the Academic Literacies framework and contemporary scholarship in digital pedagogy, this paper argues that academic literacy is a central determinant of student success in science and technology education. Effective engagement with technical texts and the production of discipline-specific outputs require advanced literacy practices that cannot be assumed. Persistent difficulties in these programmes reveal a structural pedagogical gap, wherein reading and writing are treated as generic skills rather than as discipline-specific competencies requiring explicit instruction. This paper advocates for curricula that embed targeted literacy pedagogies attuned to disciplinary and technological contexts. By positioning academic reading, writing and digital communication as foundational competencies, institutions can enhance students’ comprehension, problem-solving capacities, and professional communication. The paper concludes by outlining evidence-based strategies for integrating literacy instruction into technology programmes to strengthen student achievement and promote educational equity.
Keywords: Academic literacies, Technology-based education, Discipline-specific literacies, Digital pedagogies, Student engagement