Challenges for university teachers in the design of virtual educational experiences during the pandemic

Abstract

In response to the health emergency, higher education institutions had to forcibly migrate to virtual education. This has impacted the educational context, both in terms of teaching and learning. The following article analyzes the particular features of virtual education and the principles of teaching in this context. Also, proposals are described for the designing of virtual educational experiences that take into account motivational theories, learning theories, and instructional design applied to e-learning. Also, the challenges for university education posed by the pandemic are discussed, and lines of action are proposed for the creation of e-learning experiences. It is concluded that there is an urgent need for the training of teachers in the use of the different available tools for virtual education, and for recognition of the unique character of virtual education, compared to traditional in-person learning.