Readiness of Higher Education Faculty for E-Learning in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to investigate academics’ readiness for online teaching in higher education (HE) in developing countries, with a major focus on open distance and e-learning (ODeL) higher education institutions (HEIs) in Africa. A qualitative data collection and synthesis approach was employed through an exploratory configurative systematic review. Four electronic academic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and Sabinet African Journals) were searched using an iterative and systematic process to find relevant studies published between 2010 and March 2021. A total of 457 peer-reviewed papers were retrieved, and 17 studies were selected for inclusion after the screening procedure. Data were imported into the EPPI-Reviewer software program for coding, and coding reports were created and exported to Excel for thematic analysis. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) theory supported and guided this study. Consistent with previous research, this review found that one of the biggest obstacles is that many higher education academics lack the digital skills to facilitate learning and offer student support in online spaces. The shift to online teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic also revealed significant digital skills gaps in e-learning for higher education educators.