TEACHING AT MET HEI DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – CASE STUDY REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

Abstract

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning at Maritime Higher Education Institutions (hereinafter: MET HEI) was almost not present at all, especially at the STCW courses. The situation was similar at other higher education institutions. There are numerous obstacles for the implementation of e-learning and information-communication technologies at Higher Education Institutions (hereinafter: HEI). One of them is the teachers' willingness to use the afore-mentioned technologies. However, the organisational changes that happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic had the impact on almost all crucial aspects of higher education primarily on the process of gaining competences and their evaluation. The teachers were facing the challenges of digital skills usage, whereas questions of acquiring competences via e-learning, especially at STCW courses, were rising as well. In a very short period of time, the teachers had to adapt contents of their courses and their teaching methods in order to enable e-learning. However, all teachers today, those teaching general courses as well as the STCW courses have the e-learning experience, face-to-face teaching experience and blended teaching experience. The teachers' experience and feedback can contribute significantly to making the guidelines for e-learning and the usage of information-communication technologies at MET HEI. Furthermore, even the students' experiences and views can have significant contribution.

The results of the research referring to the teachers and students' attitudes and views on teaching during the COVID-19 at MET HEI in the Republic of Croatia were shown in this paper. Survey method was used in the research. The results of the research comprise the analysis of the students and teachers' attitudes referring to the challenges they were facing with, as well as to the e-learning platforms they were using, and advantages, and disadvantages of e-learning at MET HEI.