Virtual university teaching of audiovisual communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and lessons

Abstract

The main objective of this research study is to identify the challenges faced by audiovisual communication university professors during their adaptation to virtual teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study also exposes lessons learned, within the analyzed educational framework, during this public health crisis. For this purpose, two different questionnaires are applied. The first is sent to professors at four Faculties of Communication located in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia. The second questionnaire is sent to the deans of the four institutions under study. The results show that one of the main difficulties encountered by professors is related to a lack of competence in the use of new technologies. It is concluded that compulsory virtual teaching was conducted in the institutions examined thanks to the fact that they have implemented powerful administrative mechanisms and technological tools that allowed countering issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.