Zooming into the use of Zoom in higher education: A systematic literature review

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a rapid adoption of video conferencing tools to support teaching and learning. Even though the pandemic has receded, these tools have cemented their place in the education landscape. This research aims to review the literature on the use of videoconferencing tools, specifically Zoom, in the context of higher education (HE). Articles were retrieved from two databases: Scopus and ERIC (Education Resources Information Center). The final sample included a total of 84 articles. The review uncovers six benefits of using Zoom in HE: Social presence, flexibility and accessibility, facilitating synchronous remote academic advising, conducting assessments, perceived usability, and inclusivity. It also identified seven challenges: Engagement issues, simulating hands-on experience, technical issues, privacy and security issues, familiarity issues, instructor difficulty, and Zoom fatigue. Several implications of these findings for future educational practices are discussed.