Quality in Online Education in Lebanon During the Pandemic: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned

Abstract

The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has largely transformed the higher education ecosystem and shifted the modes of delivery around the world. The rapid shift from traditional face-to-face teaching to online delivery was accompanied by a set of significant challenges. In Lebanon, the situation was exacerbated by a plethora of political, economic, and humanitarian crises. Even the most well-prepared Lebanese higher education institutions were facing an insurmountable challenge to maintain education quality under extremely strenuous circumstances and limited resources. The challenges included the absence of clear quality assurance mechanisms, problems associated with limited internet connectivity due to frequent electric power outages, the lack of teacher and student preparedness for online delivery, and the absence of online-ready curricula. Nevertheless, Lebanese universities were able to make the necessary adjustments for their students to complete their education using available resources and minimal training. The current chapter explores the challenges faced by private and public universities in Lebanon and the approaches utilized to overcome tremendous limitations. We discuss the lessons learned during the process of adopting online and hybrid classroom learning, and the opportunities for growth that were brought about by unforeseen circumstances. We also introduce the changes needed on the institutional, national, and regional levels to prepare for the post-pandemic era in higher education.

Citation

Alami, N.H. and Attieh, L.K. (2023), "Quality in Online Education in Lebanon During the Pandemic: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned", Saeed, S.T. and Sherwani, K.H. (Ed.) Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Middle East: Practices and Perspectives (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 54), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 101-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120230000054006