The Challenges of Digitalization of the Teaching/Learning Process During Covid-19

At present teachers are facing a number of challenges caused by the reform processes in education that require acquisition of new competencies. Digital competence, that includes both technical skills needed to manage the software and cognitive skills that are related to education, has been gradually introduced in the curricula over the past decade. Teachers’ digital competence includes the ability to use technologies efficiently, developing digital content and inspiring students to work in a digital environment. This also requires a wider conceptualization of digital competence in the context of re-conceptualization of flexible learning. The methodology employed in this study is three focus group interviews with forty-three teachers of comprehensive and vocational schools in Latvia on their experience in integrating digital technologies into the remote teaching process during the emergency situation due to coronavirus disease COVID-19 from March until June 2020. The study focuses on digital transformations in education process at schools in Latvia and is aimed at exploring difficulties and challenges faced by teachers while ensuring remote teaching/learning process. COVID-19 was a big push towards the introduction and wider usage of technologies into education process that also greatly impacted the level of pressure and stress experienced by educators due to the demand to adapt to urgent and swift shift.