Transforming education into times of crisis

Lessons from implementing distance learning at a private university

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led Higher Education institutions to look for ways to continue with educational services, the chosen option being to make use of information technologies; and it is in this context that the digital and economic gaps that affect the educational actors to achieve the intended educational quality have come to light. Therefore, and in this unique context, the objective of this research was to learn about the teacher-student relationship, the teaching and learning process, and evaluation.

The research approach was qualitative, using classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with students and teachers. The findings of the study are significant in describing the obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve quality education, such as connectivity issues, limited access to technological resources, and the forced replication of face-to-face teaching and learning. In general, these difficulties have revealed the continuity of traditional schooling, despite the use of technological resources. The discussion of the importance of considering all aspects of the educational process and viewing technology as a tool and not as the end in itself.