Influence of Country Digitization Level on Digital Pandemic Stress

Area of Science:

• Education
• Information Technology
• Sociology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adoption of digital learning environments (DLEs) in higher education.
• Adaptation to DLEs varied globally due to differences in digitization, technology, and innovation.
• Understanding professor adaptation is crucial for effective digital education strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university professors' adaptation to DLEs.
• To examine the relationship between professors' self-perceived digital competence, pandemic-related stress, and their country's Global Innovation Index (GII).

Main Methods:

• Quantitative research involving 723 university professors from 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries.
• Survey assessing self-perceived digital competence, stress levels during the pandemic, and adaptation to DLEs.
• Analysis correlated self-perceptions with the Global Innovation Index (GII) of participants' home countries.

Main Results:

• Professors reported an intermediate-to-high self-perception of digital competence and adaptation to DLEs.
• Neither digital competence nor the national GII fully explained the stress experienced by professors using DLEs.
• The findings indicate that factors beyond individual skills and national innovation levels influence adaptation stress.

Conclusions:

• University professors demonstrated a considerable capacity to adapt to digital learning environments following the pandemic.
• The study highlights that pandemic-related stress in DLEs is not solely determined by digital competence or national innovation.
• Further research is needed to identify additional factors influencing professors' experiences with digital learning environments.