Abstract:

Due to the pandemic, the need to transform the study process through the introduction of technology has become even stronger. The sudden change from a physical learning environment to an online space proved to be a serious challenge. Educators need to use different methods, levels, and dimensions of digital learning activities and implement and/or support collaborative learning activities that use devices, resources, or information strategies, which require specific knowledge from academic staff. Despite many advantages (communication and cooperation of process participants, openness, convenience, dissemination of information, discussions, expanded opportunities for obtaining information, meta-reflection, etc.), online education and the use of social networks in this process pose a number of challenges and have disadvantages. In order to identify problems, evaluate the current situation and good practices related to online education at the Vilnius College of Technology and Design from the teacher's perspective, a qualitative survey of teachers was conducted within the framework of the "Challenge-Oriented Collaborative Online Communities in the Paradigm of Sustainable City" (CityGO) project. The analysis of the answers given by the respondents made it possible to analyze the main problems related to online learning and to group them into 5 main categories. All categories were divided into subcategories. Respondents also shared good practices on how to motivate and engage students in online learning and indicated things that they felt did not work.

Keywords:

Online learning, social networks, qualitative survey, good practices.