Challenges of the accelerated implementation of on-line learning in higher education in Paraguay

Abstract

In Paraguay the accelerated context of change from face-to-face-learning to on-line learning was established by the National Council for Higher Education (Consejo Nacional de Educación Superior, CONES) in a situation which had led most higher education institutions in the world to apply emergency remote teaching (ERT). The fast implementation of this palliative modality generated challenges in terms of development of digital skills, pedagogical practices, educational policies, and investment in infrastructure and in breaching the digital gap. This research seeks to evaluate the impact of on-line learning implementation on Paraguayan higher education as adopted in an emergency context, and to assess its sustainability in Paraguay. Thus, 13 open interviews were made by video calls (n= 13) to professors working in 15 different institutions. The collected data was analyzed qualitatively with Atlas-ti. From the results emerged eight inter-related categories of different ways of influencing the relationships among the three main actors: institutions, students and professors. The main categories which emerged were adaptation and implementation, digital-skills deficiencies, access to infrastructure, self-regulation, skills development, lack of institutional policy, emotional issues, and socioeconomic problems. Some of these issues interact with others and they are of significance to enable, maintain or offer different types of on-line learning education methodologies, highlighting aspects that the Paraguayan educational society needs to strengthen according to its actors.