This open access database was created by Dr Melissa Bond for the living systematic review article entitled 'Emergency remote teaching in higher education: Mapping the first global online semester', which was published on 31st August 2021 in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, and authored by Dr Melissa Bond, Dr Svenja Bedenlier, Dr Victoria Marin, and Dr Marion Haendel. A pre-print of the article can be found here and the published version can be found open access here.

This database was created using the EPPI-Visualiser tool within EPPI-Reviewer. As it is connected to the underlying review data, it will be updated live with any new studies added or data extracted. The review will be updated again in early September 2021, with many new studies flagged for inclusion.

Further information: ResearchGate project

Abstract: Resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic that spread globally in 2020, higher education courses were subsequently offered in full remote, online formats. Research ensued in the summer term 2020 and has resulted in a plethora of primary studies investigating a range of topics in the realm of teaching and learning in higher education. In order to meet the need of providing an overview and initial understanding of this emerging research field, a systematic mapping review was conducted that collates and describes the characteristics of 282 initial primary empirical studies. Preliminary findings reveal that research has been carried out mostly descriptively and cross-sectionally, focusing predominantly on students and their perceptions of teaching and learning during the pandemic. Studies originate from a broad range of countries and are overwhelmingly published open access. Educational technology used for emergeny remote teaching are most often synchronous collaborative tools. Also considering the limitations inherent to this review, these findings are discussed against pre-pandemic research on educational technology use in higher education teaching and learning contexts, and perspectives for further research are indicated.

Keywords: emergency remote teaching, higher education, systematic mapping review, COVID-19, educational technology

Research Questions

In order to help inform policy makers, higher education institutions and researchers, the questions this review seeks to answer are:

1. Where, when and by whom has research on teaching and learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic been published?    
2. What are the characteristics of, methods used, and topics studied in research on teaching and learning in higher education during the  COVID-19 pandemic?    
3. What technology has been used during emergency remote teaching in higher education?