Sustainable Development and the Digital Transformation of Educational Systems

Abstract

Aim: Our research concentrates on the sustainable development and digital transformation of educational systems. This topic has gained the special attention of researchers and policymakers in recent years due to the wide spread of information and communication technologies (ICT) and the digital surge that can be observed all around the world. This digital surge, which can also be called a digital revolution, was further deepened by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the massive closure of schools and universities and the deployment of online and home learning. Methods: We use data obtained from researchers and lecturers at universities and higher education institutions in the Czech Republic and Russia between September 2020 and March 2021 to perform ordinal regression analysis. This allows us to test the relationships between effectiveness as a key factor of creativity on one side and motivation to look for new ways of teaching and research during and after the COVID-19 pandemic on the other. Results: Overall, it appears that there are still many obstacles to the digital transformation of educational systems that might be embedded in the structure and the scope of today’s educational institutions. We demonstrate that, at present, universities and higher educational institutions are undergoing radical change driven by the need to digitize education and training processes in record time, and that many academics lack the innate technical skills for online education. Nevertheless, it appears that young and motivated academics and researchers are keen on embracing new technologies and support the digital transformation of educational systems. Conclusions: Our results might be useful for decision-makers and stakeholders in universities and higher education institutions for designing their strategies for the digitalization of educational systems.