Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Research in Teaching and Education
Year: 2025
DOI:
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Bridging The Digital Divide Post-COVID: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons from Teachers’ Perspectives in Online Teaching and Learning
Sidiropoulou Charalampia,Christodoulidou Panayiota
ABSTRACT:
The Covid-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented shift in education, requiring teachers to transition rapidly to online teaching. This paper emanates from a study which explores the experiences and views of mainstream school teachers in Cyprus during this transition, focusing on their competencies, challenges, and the impact on vulnerable student groups aged 6–18 years. Conducted through an online survey, which was part of an international online project, the study finds that while most teachers had basic ICT skills, they adapted by using online platforms. However, many struggled with increased workload, stress, and limited digital training. The lack of student access to technology and home support further hindered effective learning. In our presentation, we will highlight key insights from the study regarding the challenges students encountered, especially those from vulnerable groups, including students with disabilities and immigrant students, who faced significant educational disadvantages. Drawing on our findings, we will further discuss insights from teacher’s reflections on blended online/distance learning and teaching. These lessons are critical in facilitating educators to integrate digital learning effectively in their practices while developing inclusive pedagogies to ensure equitable education access for all students.
keywords: blended and distant learning, equitable access, immigrant students, learning disabilities, vulnerable students