Abstract

This study aimed to observe how the COVID-19 pandemic affected higher education in the UAE. It also explored attitudes and reactions regarding academic disorganization. The study applied a qualitative research approach to gather data from scholars in UAE higher education institutions via predetermined interviews. The observations obtained from participants were examined through NVivo software, which helped in the thematic analysis of the collected data. The study revealed that teachers do not face any trouble using and administering online classrooms, although only 48.78 percent of them had prior knowledge of e-learning. On the other hand, the results showed that additional fees, a sense of isolation, a lack of necessary knowledge and experience, and a lack of self-motivation and self-regulation were the factors that hindered online learning in the UAE and caused disruption. The study recommends that teachers utilize appropriate online learning programs and approaches to manage students’ issues and deliver online courses efficiently. These findings provide a snapshot of the perspectives of educators and students concerning the lack of evidence about social disruption and challenges posed by remote classes in educational institutions in the UAE. This research serves as a foundation for carrying out more comprehensive surveys in the rest of the country with additional questions for both educators and students in light of the pandemic.