Digital Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in the Transformation of Higher Education

The Covid-19 pandemic evidenced the need to carry out educational research with a vision of transformation. At the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), a public higher education institution in Mexico, a group of professors used digital technologies to research and systematize their educational practice and that of their students and colleagues. This was relevant to identify effective educational practices and areas for improvement that could inform about the premises that must be considered to promote meaningful educational innovations within their local context. The concepts that guided this process were: change in educational practices [1] and systematization of experiences [2]. Thus, the objective of this text is to systematize the qualitative and mixed methods research processes carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic and how they informed the transformation of educational practices at UAM Cuajimalpa. Among the main results are the following: (a) The practice of qualitative and mixed research in digital environments allowed a deeper understanding of the teaching-learning process during the Covid-19 pandemic, (b) The systematization of experiences derived in the organization and reflection of professors' innovations, and (c) From the work of qualitative research and mixed methods, educational actors have become aware of the imperative for pedagogical change. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

From Digital Divide to Digital Discovery: Re-thinking Online Learning and Interactions in Marginalized Communities

The digital divide presented between the Global South and North has been exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic causing unequal access to technologies in education, public services, and healthcare. Through an exploratory study in the northeastern region of Mexico, a marginalized community used a hyperlocal network to engage in creative Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) activities. The study uses a qualitative methodology with a reflective approach, informed by sociocultural and dialogic concepts. Data collection primarily involved semi-structured interviews, observations, focus groups, and collection of artifacts. The findings present a rich framework of sociocultural factors and capital knowledge from the community. From the study emerged participants’ meanings in three categories: i) the use of offline mobile learning, ii) the educational practices in the non-formal context, and iii) the dialogic opportunities created among participants. From this non-formal context of education experience emerged creative lessons in innovation, agency from the learners, and genuine involvement from the participants. © 2022, IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.