Digitalization-Enhanced Teaching Approaches for Building Students' Mental Fortitude in Highly Technical Courses in ICT, Science, and Mathematics

The rapid digitalization of higher education has transformed instructional practices in highly technical disciplines by integrating digital learning environments, technology-enabled instructional tools, and interactive pedagogical strategies that support both academic achievement and students' psychological development. In Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Science, and Mathematics education, where learners frequently encounter complex concepts, cognitive overload, and persistent academic challenges, digitalization-enhanced teaching approaches have emerged as valuable mechanisms for fostering resilience, perseverance, confidence, and adaptive coping. Despite the increasing adoption of digital technologies in higher education, limited research has explored how instructors intentionally utilize digitalization-enhanced teaching approaches to build students' mental fortitude in highly technical courses. This exploratory qualitative study investigated how instructors implement digitalization-enhanced teaching approaches to strengthen students' mental fortitude in ICT, Science, and Mathematics courses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen instructors from higher education institutions, and the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings revealed three major themes: technology-enabled feedback and digital scaffolding, digital simulations and interactive learning environments, and digital learning communities for collaborative resilience. These digitalization-enhanced approaches enabled instructors to provide immediate feedback, scaffold complex learning tasks, promote collaborative problem-solving, and create psychologically supportive digital learning environments that encouraged students to persist despite academic setbacks. Participants further observed that students became more resilient, confident, self-regulated, and motivated as they engaged with digitally supported learning experiences. The study demonstrates that digitalization functions not only as a catalyst for instructional innovation but also as a pedagogical mechanism for strengthening students' mental fortitude in highly technical education. The findings provide practical implications for educators, curriculum developers, and higher education institutions seeking to develop digitally enriched learning environments that simultaneously promote academic excellence and students' psychological well-being.