Bridging higher educators’ beliefs and practice in online education: A qualitative systematic review

Abstract

As online education becomes increasingly prevalent in higher education, educators’ beliefs about teaching practices have become critical to its success. These beliefs influence key aspects of online course design, including course structure, communication methods, and the use of technology, all of which affect student engagement and achievement. This study explores the relationship between educators' beliefs about online education and their actual teaching practices through a qualitative systematic literature review of 19 studies published between 2010 and 2023. Using a meta-aggregation approach, themes were identified, grouped, and synthesized to capture global trends in the relationship between educators’ beliefs and their practices. The findings indicate that educators believe online education requires adapting instructional approaches to align with technological affordances and student needs, while also fostering social presence and group cohesion to enhance participation. While many existing models focus on acceptance or resistance, this review highlights more complex dynamics, such as tensions between educators’ beliefs and the challenges of aligning technology use with those beliefs. It shows that online teaching practices are shaped not only by technical considerations but also by educators’ beliefs about online teaching and the value of technology. These insights offer a deeper understanding of how educators’ beliefs interact with their online teaching practices and have significant implications for designing professional development programs and informing institutional policies that support the transition to online teaching.