Facilitators and Barriers to Online Teaching and Educational Technology Use by University Lecturers during COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence

Abstract

This systematic review of qualitative evidence contributes to the understanding of individual factors that influenced Emergency Remote Teaching and the use of educational technology by lecturers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A coding scheme aimed at identifying these key factors was developed using a comprehensive theoretical framework based on the model of triadic reciprocity. A narrative synthesis of 49 studies revealed that lecturers had unique starting points for the transition, which were influenced by factors such as prior experience with educational technology and online teaching, their attitudes and beliefs towards it, and their technological knowledge. Despite varying levels of preparedness and different attitudes, lecturers were able to leverage their pedagogical knowledge, adaptability, and motivation to continue education under extraordinary circumstances. On the other hand, a lack of experience in educational technology integration, negative attitudes and beliefs towards it, and insufficient technological knowledge hindered the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching. Lecturers therefore actively sought out appropriate educational technologies that would cater to their needs and those of their students. The initial autodidactic effort required that lecturers learn new technologies, along with how to effectively use them for teaching. A significant proportion of the use of educational technology was aimed at augmenting conventional teaching practices and providing students with an interactive learning environment, in terms of social embeddedness and personalized learning pathways. However, many lecturers attempted to replicate the pre-pandemic classroom in an online setting by substituting conventional teaching practices in an online classroom. This systematic review suggests the need to implement institutional onboarding measures for lecturers to level the “unique starting points” to ensure technology-enhanced learning in emergencies. This can be achieved by equipping lecturers with digital competence and pedagogical knowledge and by fostering self-efficacy, thus preparing them for future scenarios that require rapid adaptation and for digital transformation in general.