Remote Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Institutions of Latvia during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic or How Higher Education Adapted to the Unknown

Remote Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Institutions of Latvia during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic or How Higher Education Adapted to the Unknown

Nora Jansone-Ratinika, Raimonds Strods

The article discusses the main challenges caused by the global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to ensure continuation of the study process at higher education institutions of Latvia. Faculty were faced with a situation in which it was necessary to transform learning and teaching from a face-to-face mode to a remote mode in a few days. We show that faculty pedagogical and digital competence was an important driver in providing quality education during this time. The authors discuss the main concepts related to this topic in order to form basis for common understanding in the higher education area. They also describe the results of faculty self-assessment of its ability to use technologies and technological solutions (TTS) in the study process, reveal emerging risks and the need for updating their competence in this area. Implementing a mixed research design, evidence was obtained for several conclusions important for improving the quality of the educational process  (1) generally the faculty have been able to meet students’ basic learning needs during remote mode; although it would be desirable to make the study process more student centered, by creating solutions that strengthen the acquisition of students’ practical skills in remote mode, by promoting honest behavior, and by monitoring students’ growth during learning; (2) students in the learning process should increase the proportion of meaningful use of TTS in order to make the study process more interactive and engaging. Faculty often use TTS to ease the teaching process, but the emphasis should be changed towards facilitation of students’ growth; (3) higher education institutions (HEI) should focus on the development of targeted support mechanisms for faculty, which would help to strengthen their pedagogical digital competence. The data obtained in the study show that in everyday life and especially in the implementation of changes, it is crucial for quality that there is a structural unit in HEIs that is professionally oriented towards the support and implementation of pedagogical innovations.