Innovations and Strategies During Online Teaching in an EdTech Low-Resourced University

The study focused on identifying innovations deployed by lecturers when teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Zambia. The interpretivist worldview anchors the study. Researchers adopted a descriptive qualitative case study design. Purposefully and conveniently sampled lecturers (n = 21) took part in key informant interviews from the university faculties: the school of education, the school of humanities and social sciences and the school of health sciences. Thematic analyses were applied to the data collected using face-to-face and telephone interview schedules. Results show that all lecturers fully know online instruction's possible challenges. Lecturers have devised innovations that are lecturer-oriented, lesson-oriented, resource-oriented and student-oriented in managing online teaching and learning. The success of online teaching in an EdTech low-resourced university depends on the lecturers' desire to learn, the availability of essential ICT devices, the use of open educational resources-OER, the potential of the use of devices and the availability of internet connectivity. However, intermittent internet connectivity, student absenteeism, a lack of primary ICT devices, and EdTech illiteracy persist. External support-such as continuous professional development programs (CPDs), import duty exemptions or corporate sponsorships and donations-should be sought to facilitate online lessons. Innovation in teaching and learning does not only entail high-tech educational technologies but the use of what works best for a community of learners in a particular context. Though focused on Zambia, the study results reflect the situation and experience of universities in other countries with similar characteristics.