ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic enforced higher education institutions worldwide to start using various digital technologies for providing synchronous digital online teaching and learning support. The new e-learning environment became a main challenge for the teachers, students, and university management. This paper is based on a study that aims to investigate the main challenges of digital teaching (a teacher-centered aspect of e-learning) from the teachers’ perspective. The data for this research is gathered through the ENLIVEN Video Podcasts, using the method of semi-structured interviews, in different locations of the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. Qualitative analysis was used for data analysis. The results of this study provide five common themes which reflect teachers’ challenges: personal barriers to digital teaching, structural barriers to digital teaching, challenging factors to ensure the quality of teaching, recommendations for colleagues, and future vision. Furthermore, this paper presents a collective story of teachers’ experiences related to digital teaching practices and gives an overview of the major challenges when teaching via an e-learning environment. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
ABSTRACT
Teacher professional development programs, including mid- and long-term Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) courses, have recently moved from in person learning at university premises to an online environment. Whether it is a temporary change in learning methods caused by the COVID-19 restrictions or whether it will become a new normal is currently under discussion in many teacher training institutions around the world. The aim of this study was to design and implement time- and money-saving synchronous online teacher training format for conducting co-design courses for early childhood teachers in the theme of STEAM integrated learning activities. Based on Tallinn University's curriculum of in-person training courses on the same topic, with the volume of 40 contact hours, we delivered the content in two different formats: in 11-months (as it used to be in pre-COVID period) and in 4-months, adapted to participants' needs. We used a self-assessment survey, based on DigCompEdu framework, to assess the increase of digital competences in the two formats. The long-format course had 31 participants and the short-format course had 50 participants. The assessment was based on pre- and post-test and we used structured live video presentations to let participants retrospectively describe their learning experiences. Results indicate that the participants of both courses had improved their digital competences and achieved the learning outcomes set by course content. There was no significant difference in increase of digital competences or the way the course was perceived between participants of both courses. This brings us to the cautious consideration that it is possible to achieve desired outcomes of STEAM courses even in a shorter period when conducting them online compared to the in-person courses. There is a need for further research where results from participants of in-person and online teaching courses are compared.
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning in higher education. Descriptive statistics were applied to data collected by a questionnaire from 1146 teachers and students from Estonia, Italy, and Serbia. In this research, we investigated the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning methods and the main challenges in digital teaching and learning. The empirical results showed that most higher education institutions implemented different digital platforms and switched entirely to online or blended learning. In addition, a sense of belonging through distance learning and delivery of 'practical' lectures were found to be the key issues for the successful implementation of teaching and learning during the pandemic. Proper training of teachers, utilization of engagement tools, and investments in virtual laboratories could be a solution to the successful implementation of digital education. © 2021 IEEE.