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

• Published in: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 51 - 17
• Main Authors: Laufer, Melissa, Leiser, Anne, Deacon, Bronwen, Perrin de Brichambaut, Paola, Fecher, Benedikt, Kobsda, Christian, Hesse, Friedrich
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 24.09.2021; BioMed Central, Ltd; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Access to Computers; Access to Education; Access to Information; Administrator Attitudes; CAI; Collaboration; Computer Appl. in Social and Behavioral Sciences; Computer assisted instruction; Computer Science; Computers; Computers and Education; Cooperative Learning; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Critical Thinking; Curriculum Design; Digital learning; Digital transformation; Disadvantaged; Distance Education; Distance learning; Edtech; Education; Educational Experience; Educational Practices; Educational Resources; Educational Technology; Electronic Learning; Foreign Countries; Governance; Higher Education; Humanities; Influence of Technology; Information Literacy; Information Skills; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Instructional Effectiveness; Instructional Materials; Language Proficiency; Law; Leaders; Leadership; Learner Engagement; Learning Experience; Learning Modalities; Mixed methods research; Pandemics; Research Article; Statistics for Social Sciences; Technology Integration; Edtech; COVID-19; Leadership; Higher education; Digital transformation; Mixed methods; Collaboration; Inequalities; Access; Digital learning; Governance
• ISSN: 2365-9440; 2365-9440
• DOI: 10.1186/s41239-021-00287-6

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.