Table 8 Thematic groupings of identified potential factors shaping higher education teachers’ technology use in COVID-19 emergency remote teaching implied in the reviewed studies

Social-technological

Technical issues surrounding technology use

• Unreliable internet connection

Akyürek (2020), Alsadoon and Turkestani (2020), Callo and Yazon (2020), Diningrat et al. (2020), Gao and Zhang (2020), Gyampoh et al. (2020), Joshi et al. (2020), Zeng (2020)

• Lack of devices and equipment

Callo and Yazon (2020), Dampson et al. (2020), Gyampoh et al. (2020), Joshi et al. (2020), Khan et al. (2020), Zeng (2020)

• Inadequacies in infrastructural provision

Akyürek (2020), Mouchantaf (2020), Said et al. (2021), Tartavulea et al. (2020)

Equity and access in the wider socio-economic context

• Power outage

Dampson et al. (2020), Khan et al. (2020), Said et al. (2021)

• Long commute for internet

Dampson et al. (2020), Tanga et al. (2020)

• Financial conditions/affordability, responsibilities, and environment at home

Callo and Yazon (2020), Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Mideros (2020), Tanga et al. (2020)

Institutional

Institutional policies

• Mandatory shift to ERT

Alqabbani et al. (2020), Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Scherer et al. (2021), Tang et al. (2020)

• Policies and guidelines regulating technology use in teaching

Cutri et al. (2020), Gao and Zhang (2020), Ghounane (2020), Gyampoh et al. (2020), Joshi et al. (2020), Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Sobaih et al. (2020), Watermeyer et al. (2021)

Institutional support

• Availability of institutional infrastructure

Akyürek (2020), Alqabbani et al. (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Mouchantaf (2020), Sobaih et al. (2020)

• Training provision for teachers and/or students

Alqabbani et al. (2020), Callo and Yazon (2020), Dampson et al. (2020), Mouchantaf (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Sobaih et al. (2020), Tanga et al. (2020)

• Supply of technical support and assistance

Dampson et al. (2020), Gyampoh et al. (2020), Sales et al. (2020), Tang et al. (2020), Watermeyer et al. (2021)

• Recognition of teachers’ efforts

Joshi et al. (2020)

Individual

Resilience and agency of teachers

• Motivation and commitment to advancing teaching practices

Bailey and Lee (2020), Ghounane (2020), Kidd and Murray (2020), Said et al. (2021), Sales et al. (2020), Tang et al. (2020)

• Agility, adaptability, and tolerance of uncertainties

Bailey and Lee (2020), Cutri et al. (2020), Hadar et al. (2021), Khoza and Mpungose (2020)

• Active agency in seeking solutions and innovating technology use in ERT

Akyürek (2020), Gao and Zhang (2020), Hadar et al. (2021), Sales et al. (2020), Said et al. (2021), Sobaih et al. (2020)

Teachers’ readiness for ERT

• Perceived confidence in enacting ERT

Gyampoh et al. (2020), Khan et al. (2020), Scherer et al. (2021)

• Perceived preparedness

Alqabbani et al. (2020), Tanga et al. (2020), Watermeyer et al. (2021)

• Prior experience in ‘online teaching’

Bailey and Lee (2020), Cutri et al. (2020), Khan et al. (2020), Scherer et al. (2021), Tang et al. (2020), Tartavulea et al. (2020), Zeng (2020)

• Prior experience in using technologies

Alqabbani et al. (2020), Ghounane (2020), Gyampoh et al. (2020), Hadar et al. (2021), Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Mideros (2020), Mouchantaf (2020), Sales et al. (2020)

Pedagogical

Student-centred pedagogies

• Interactivity and student engagement and participation

Akyürek (2020), Bailey and Lee (2020), Dampson et al. (2020), Khan et al. (2020), Kidd and Murray (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Mideros (2020), Said et al. (2021), Sales et al. (2020), Tang et al. (2020), Zeng (2020)

• Consideration of different students’ needs and well-being during ERT

Alsadoon and Turkestani (2020), Cutri et al. (2020), Hadar et al. (2021), Kidd and Murray (2020), Said et al. (2021)

• Students’ preference for, and familiarity with, technologies

Ghounane (2020), Sales et al. (2020), Sobaih et al. (2020)

Teaching beliefs and practices

• Disciplinary differences in teaching beliefs and practices

Gao and Zhang (2020), Hadar et al. (2021), Joshi et al. (2020), Marshalsey and Sclater (2020), Mideros (2020), Ren (2020), Said et al. (2021), Sobaih et al. (2020), Watermeyer et al. (2021)

Peer

Information sharing amongst colleagues

• Mutual exchanges, inspiration, and empowerment in newly formed networking spaces online

Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Ren (2020), Said et al. (2021), Scherer et al. (2021)

• Reliance on colleagues, especially those who are technology-proficient, as an uncertainty mitigation strategy

Bailey and Lee (2020), Cutri et al. (2020), Khoza and Mpungose (2020), Mouchantaf (2020), Ren (2020)