Translating knowledge into innovation capability: An exploratory study investigating the perceptions on distance learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic - the case of Mexico

The COVID-19 pandemic represented a significant challenge to higher education and forced academic institutions worldwide to abruptly shift to remote teaching. Higher education institutions are continuously confronted with the difficulties of creating satisfactory online learning experiences that adhere to the new norms. This paper presents a study concerning the perceptions of the quality and efficiency of the educational process in higher education concerning distance learning at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional of Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data analysis identified the level of satisfaction with distance learning education separately for students and professors and the lived experience for future education models. Data analysis consisted of a stepwise regression model to identify the most important variables related to the satisfaction aspect of e-learning for students and professors. The main findings are associated with the perception of one's own skills as the most crucial variable to define the aspects of e-learning satisfaction. Therefore, these skills involve the knowledge of e-learning platforms and the adoption rate of new technologies. The study found that the students emphasized that the variable "low sense of community" negatively impacts e-learning due to the loss of personal contact with the academic workspace. The key contribution of our research is a knowledge translation into a sustainable innovation capability model.