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The Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Literacy Skills for Online Teaching in Zimbabwean Schools: A Mixed-Methods Research Approach

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Title: The Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Literacy Skills for Online Teaching in Zimbabwean Schools: A Mixed-Methods Research Approach
Language: English
Authors: Medicine Magocha (ORCID 0000-0002-2904-6876), Juliet Munyaradzi, Sunday Samson Babalola (ORCID 0000-0003-3956-712X)
Source: Research in Social Sciences and Technology. 2025 10(1):310-331.
Availability: Research in Social Sciences and Technology. Yesilova Mah. Caldiran Cad. 29/11 Etimesgut Ankara, Turkey; Web site: https://ressat.org/index.php/ressat
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Digital Literacy, COVID-19, Pandemics, Teacher Attitudes, Socioeconomic Influences, Rural Schools, Secondary School Teachers, Barriers, Teaching Methods, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Literacy, Online Courses, Educational Change, Access to Information, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Zimbabwe
ISSN: 2468-6891
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a rapid shift to online teaching and learning, presenting challenges for teachers in developing countries such as Zimbabwe. This study employed a sequential mixed-methods research approach to explore how rural Zimbabwean teachers relate to digital technologies and how their digital literacy skills impacted their online teaching during the pandemic. An online questionnaire was administered to a purposeful sample of 100 teachers, followed by telephone interviews with ten key informants selected through cluster sampling. The findings revealed that limited digital literacy skills and socioeconomic factors were major barriers for rural secondary school teachers in accessing, creating, evaluating, and sharing teaching information with their learners. This study highlights the need for increased support to enhance teachers' technological knowledge in the face of complex demands for digital literacy, exacerbated by unprecedented challenges such as worldwide pandemics. The mixed-methods research approach allowed for a comprehensive investigation of this complex educational problem, drawing on qualitative and quantitative perspectives to capture the historical context and multifaceted nature of teachers' challenges in integrating digital technologies into their teaching practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1467262
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Literacy Skills for Online Teaching in Zimbabwean Schools: A Mixed-Methods Research Approach
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Medicine+Magocha%22">Medicine Magocha</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2904-6876">0000-0002-2904-6876</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Juliet+Munyaradzi%22">Juliet Munyaradzi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sunday+Samson+Babalola%22">Sunday Samson Babalola</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3956-712X">0000-0003-3956-712X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Research+in+Social+Sciences+and+Technology%22"><i>Research in Social Sciences and Technology</i></searchLink>. 2025 10(1):310-331.
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  Data: Research in Social Sciences and Technology. Yesilova Mah. Caldiran Cad. 29/11 Etimesgut Ankara, Turkey; Web site: https://ressat.org/index.php/ressat
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 22
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+Literacy%22">Digital Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Influences%22">Socioeconomic Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Teachers%22">Secondary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pedagogical+Content+Knowledge%22">Pedagogical Content Knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technological+Literacy%22">Technological Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Information%22">Access to Information</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Zimbabwe%22">Zimbabwe</searchLink>
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  Data: 2468-6891
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a rapid shift to online teaching and learning, presenting challenges for teachers in developing countries such as Zimbabwe. This study employed a sequential mixed-methods research approach to explore how rural Zimbabwean teachers relate to digital technologies and how their digital literacy skills impacted their online teaching during the pandemic. An online questionnaire was administered to a purposeful sample of 100 teachers, followed by telephone interviews with ten key informants selected through cluster sampling. The findings revealed that limited digital literacy skills and socioeconomic factors were major barriers for rural secondary school teachers in accessing, creating, evaluating, and sharing teaching information with their learners. This study highlights the need for increased support to enhance teachers' technological knowledge in the face of complex demands for digital literacy, exacerbated by unprecedented challenges such as worldwide pandemics. The mixed-methods research approach allowed for a comprehensive investigation of this complex educational problem, drawing on qualitative and quantitative perspectives to capture the historical context and multifaceted nature of teachers' challenges in integrating digital technologies into their teaching practices.
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  Data: EJ1467262
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 310
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Digital Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Influences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pedagogical Content Knowledge
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technological Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Online Courses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Information
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Zimbabwe
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Literacy Skills for Online Teaching in Zimbabwean Schools: A Mixed-Methods Research Approach
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            NameFull: Sunday Samson Babalola
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              Y: 2025
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