Research Article https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.1.163 European Journal of Educational Research Volume 11, Issue 1, 163 - 177. ISSN: 2165-8714 https://www.eu-jer.com/ Perspectives on Lessons From the COVID-19 Outbreak for Post-pandemic Higher Education: Continuance Intention Model of Forced Online Distance Teaching Kosta Dolenc University of Maribor, SLOVENIA Andrej Šorgo University of Maribor, SLOVENIA Mateja Ploj Virtič * University of Maribor, SLOVENIA Received: August 23, 2021 ▪ Revised: October 3, 2021 ▪ Accepted: November 1, 2021 Abstract: The response of most universities to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was Online Distance Teaching (ODT), which was a new experience for many educators and students. The aim of the study was to investigate the response of university teachers to ODT. A questionnaire was sent to all university teachers (N = 914). We received 290 usable responses. To create a Continuance Intention Model of Forced Online Distance Teaching (CIMoFODT), Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used in addition to descriptive and inferential statistics. The main findings were as follows: (i) during the closure, use of the videoconferencing system MS Teams was the only item that increased significantly, owing to mandatory use; (ii) the increase in the use of other applications (e.g., Moodle, email) was minimal; (iii) after the reopening of the university, email, Moodle, and supplementary online materials will be used for ODT; MS Teams will be used for small group teaching and individual consultations; (iv) CIMoFODT can be applied to explain the intention to continue ODT. The main conclusion is that teachers will return to traditional teaching when classrooms reopen. Keywords: Continuance intention, COVID-19 outbreak, higher education, online distance teaching. To cite this article: Dolenc, K., Šorgo, A., & Virtič, M. P. (2022). Perspectives on lessons from the COVID-19 outbreak for post- pandemic higher education: Continuance intention model of forced online distance teaching. European Journal of Educational Research, 11(1), 163-177. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.1.163 Introduction In just over a century, there have been more than six separate influenza pandemics and epidemics, and at least seven coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that have caused illness and death. Therefore, it is reasonable to accept the prediction that new deadly outbreaks caused by new pathogens or variants of existing pathogens are inevitable (Maxmen, 2021). From retrospective analysis of responses, it is clear that the response of states and agencies has not always been optimal. Whether a new pandemic is caused by new strains of SARS-CoV-2 or by a yet unknown pathogen, the question is whether lessons have been learned to avoid repeating the mistakes of recent and past epidemics (Maxmen, 2021). To prevent such mistakes, previous actions should be carefully examined, and tools should be developed to allow an objective evaluation, not only to describe an event or a combination of events, but also to predict possible obstacles to avoiding them and offer better solutions. Following the closure of universities due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020, most higher education institutions around the world responded literally overnight by moving to online distance learning, which means that instructors and learners are physically separated. Historically (Moore et al., 2011), any new technology and service that enable distance communication was tested and sooner or later used for distance education. More recently, the boom in distance learning has been enabled by the invention of the Internet, along with web-based applications and protocols that enable synchronous and asynchronous communication between course providers (teachers) and users (students). However, prior to mandatory closure of universities, this transition was fluid, and face-to-face learning could coexist or blend with distance learning forms, showing that the addition of an instructor to online materials strongly contributed to achievements (Tzur et al., 2021). That was no longer the case in 2020, when traditional forms of instruction were suspended, and classes moved to the Internet virtually overnight. No one questioned whether everyone involved in the pedagogical processes at universities was pedagogically and materially prepared for this * Corresponding author: Mateja Ploj Virtič, University of Maribor, Faculty of natural sciences and mathematics, Slovenia.  mateja.plojvirtic@um.si © 2022 The Author(s). Open Access - This article is under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).