Equality, Diversity, and Access in Digitalized Teaching in Higher Education

Abstract

There has been a slow uptake of distance education over a period of time. However, this has gradually changed to online education as many institutions adopted digitalisation. COVID-19 brought about forced digitalisation of education with a number of challenges that came to the fore. The study utilised a review of peer reviewed journal articles in Google Scholar and Web of Science databases. The finding shows that digital equity, digital diversity, access to the internet and electricity, academic capitalism, and limitations of testing and examination digital systems were the top emerging themes. Access, equality, and equity in education were still a challenge under face-to-face platforms, but online education has worsened the challenges even more. The integrity in examination and credibility of qualifications attained through such a system can be brought into question if examination monitoring and invigilation are not adequately addressed. Attendance of students to these platforms as logging on, is not an indicator of attendance, presence and active learning raises challenges.