Desktop Video Conferencing Tools in HigherEducation: Understanding Lecturers’ Experience

Abstract

Technological advancements facilitate new ways of conducting university lectures. Through Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), Desktop Video Conferencing Tools (DVCT) have been adopted by higher education institutions to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. DVCT enables online, real-time education to be delivered. To understand educators’ experience with DVCT, an online survey was con-ducted among lecturers (N = 243) at the University of Bergen (UiB) between October 12-29th 2020. In this empirical paper, we report on the findings from the Likert scale and free text questions, analyzed using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Elaborate qualitative data (18,107 words) was gathered, providing perspectives of lecturers’ experiences. The main advantages of DVCT identified are flexibility and accessibility. Disadvantages concern poor student communication and interaction. Overall, the trend is mixed to low sentiments towards lecturing with DVCT, despite lecturers claiming to be confident in using new digital tools. Lecturers’ experience with DVCT may be positively affected by providing them with training, emphasizing pedagogical aspects, accepting the shortcomings of ERT, and recognizing that digitalization encompasses adapting to new technologies as well as changing practices, planning, and execution.