Review of higher education policy during the pandemic: A Spanish perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted profound changes in Higher Education. Thus, policymakers in different national contexts worldwide needed to design alternative responses to deal with new educational scenarios. In Spain, rethinking educational management in Higher Education remains an issue of current debate. Methodological readjustments towards virtual teaching, the digital divide due to socio-economic and cultural issues of the students, unequal access to education, or a decrease in internationalization have been some of the most significant adversities faced during this time. Amid this crisis, the measures taken by political leaders and university managers played an essential role. This study aims to provide an overview of the policy measures developed during this period, describing some of the most important decisions taken by different universities in Spain. To this end, an exploration based on secondary data from extensive literature reviews is carried out to construct a descriptive analysis of the measures implemented in Spanish universities. The findings highlight the coordinated action of the Spanish university system and the staunch defense of face-to-face teaching. This health crisis has also highlighted the deficits of this level of education and shed light on its future. Spain faces major challenges in the field of higher education. Consequently, the Spanish university system must begin building the foundations for educational innovation and training education professionals without fear of online scenarios. Finally, this article also proposes suggestions to guide policymakers in dealing with future adverse situations.

“And though our dreams may be shattered to pieces, I will resist”: digital storytelling to analyse emotional impact of the pandemic on university students

Covid-19 generated an important impact on the mental health of university students. In this context, a double need arises: to analyse the effects of this impact and to work on emotional education with this educational sector. This study is part of a broader educational innovation project focused on working on the emotional education of university students. In this case, our purpose was to analyse the experiences of university students (N=6) during the pandemic through Digital Storytellings. The results showed revealing aspects regarding the influence that the pandemic had on students: the shortcomings of virtuality in teaching, the development of coping strategies, the lessons learned from the pandemic, etc. Finally, it was set out a number of implications for higher education, like the promotion of emotional education plans, the optimisation of online educational resources, and increased teacher training in digital issues and emotional support. © 2022, Universidad Compultense Madrid. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Covid-19 on Science Education: A Thematic Review of International Research

The health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed and decisively affected the entire education system, which has resulted in an urgent need to adapt it to an online scenario. Science education is an area that has been highly affected by and, as a consequence, science teachers were forced to make an extra effort to create virtual learning environments accessible for all students. This study offers a systematic review to synthesize how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced science teachers’ educational practices and adaptations. To this end, Web of Science, ERIC and Scopus databases used to explore the virtual educational practices, e.g., teaching-learning processes, during the pandemic. The purpose of this study is to analyze the main bibliographic characteristics of the collected literature (research purpose, methodological design, geographical and temporal distribution, central themes) via thematic analysis. The findings offered a synthesis of studies that explain innovative practices, tools, and strategies that were very useful for teachers and students in the STEM area. We believe that future lines of research should be oriented towards broadening the analysis of different pedagogical approaches developed in the teaching of STEM areas during the health crisis by COVID-19. This could be useful for guiding professional and educational actions © 2021,Journal of Turkish Science Education.All Rights Reserved

“I've never failed. A global pandemic came, and I got 0”: Researching the circulation process of a tweet

The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has had a major impact on the university sector, especially after authorities ordered the closure of educational institutions. This closure forced the adjustment of teaching to a virtual environment, affecting the entire educational community, especially students. In the face of this, social networks became the main platform for student protests against the enforced changes. This article examines the circulation process of a tweet generated by a university student on the impact of the new adaptations. To do so, a narrative methodological approach was developed through storytelling analysis. This analysis explores thematic approaches, participation frameworks, comments, and reactions derived from the original tweet. Among the most important findings are the trend toward the development of new stories and the production of responses where an aggressive and ironic tone predominate. This article also offers reflections on participatory culture in virtual environments. © Common Ground Research Networks, Javier Mula Falcón, Cristina Cruz González, Jesús Domingo Segovia, Carmen Lucena Rodríguez, All Rights Reserved.

Guidelines for the design of educational research through digital storytelling: A methodological alternative in times of confinement

In times of COVID-19 confinement, many researchers have had to reinvent themselves and adapt their research to complex circumstances. In the last few decades, Digital Storytelling has become increasingly interested in the area of education. This type of methodology adapts its development of digital resources and focuses on the analysis of the life experiences of interest to different areas of research. From this point of view, this article intends to deal with some keys in the design of Digital Storytelling in educational studies. Methodological bases, practical guidelines for the collection and analysis of information, ethical considerations, and research validity will be presented in this article. At the same time, we will also expose the limitations and strengths of this methodology and some final considerations. © Common Ground Research Networks, Marta García-Jiménez, Cristina Cruz-González, Carmen Lucena, Belén Massó-Guijarro, All Rights Reserved. Permissions: cgscholar.com/cg_support