Digital higher education: a divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on edtech in a COVID-19 reality

Melissa Laufer,Friedrich Hesse,Benedikt Fecher,Christian Kobsda,Paola Perrin De Brichambaut,Anne Leiser,Bronwen Deacon

doi:10.1186/s41239-021-00287-6

Abstract

The edtech community has promoted claims that digital education enhances access, learning, and collaboration. The COVID-19 pandemic tested these claims like never before, as higher education systems seemingly overnight had to move teaching online. Through a sequential mixed-method approach, we investigated how 85 higher education leaders in 24 countries experienced this rapid digital transformation. Through their experiences, we identified the multiple and overlapping factors that contribute to an institution’s ability to realize the potential of digital education, in terms of access, learning and collaboration, whilst highlighting deeply rooted inequalities at the individual, institutional and system level. Drawing on these empirics, we put forth recommendations for closing the digital divides and pathways forward. Higher education leaders are uniquely positioned to move beyond the emergency adoption of online learning towards inclusive, long-term visions for digital education, which emphasize collaboration over individual gain.

Highlights

Digitalization of teaching and learning Optimists have long equated digitization with improving the quality of life and social progress, with the Internet opening up participation in the knowledge society by decentralizing and democratizing information
We investigated how higher education leaders around the world experienced the rapid digital turn and the outcomes associated with digital education
Among edtech providers, technology has been frequently heralded as means to improve access, learning outcomes, and collaborative practices (Sancho-Gil et al, 2020; Selwyn, 2016)

Summary

Introduction

Digitalization of teaching and learning Optimists have long equated digitization with improving the quality of life and social progress, with the Internet opening up participation in the knowledge society by decentralizing and democratizing information. A new digital divide presupposes physical access and examines the nature of information technology use It embodies so-called digital skills ( digital literacy or digital competency) that help learners achieve positive learning outcomes in digital settings and differ based on level of education, culture, and English skills (Ritzhaupt et al, 2020). As this divide exists between students and teaching staff, HEIs and their faculty may yet be unprepared to adequately foster and develop digital information literacy skills among students (Santos & Serpa, 2017). A digitalization process of teaching must be accompanied by a comprehensive culture change of the learning environment and investment in the digital literacy of stakeholders (Englund et al, 2017; Fischer et al, 2020)

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