Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital media and technologies for learning in higher education significantly increased. Most staff engaged in teaching and learning in higher education used some form of digital technology. Some of these technologies, such as PowerPoint and online learning platforms, including Moodle, were used extensively, with higher education staff feeling they had a high level of competence. However, the range of digital technologies used was very narrow. Since the pandemic, higher education staff have been required to use a much broader range of technologies as they continue teaching through blended or online approaches. Almost all higher education staff must use video conference-based classrooms, and most will produce voiceovers or video presentations. These changes have been made in an ad-hoc way with limited training and thought about the design and pedagogic implications of how technology is introduced. In addition, there is pressure to use technologies in ways that higher education institutions did not anticipate, with concurrent (e.g. in-class teaching that is at the same time streamed to students at home and recorded for others) rather than blended use of approaches being used in prototype forms, as higher education institutions innovate to meet students’ changing and differing needs. There is a need to expand higher education institution staff competence in using a wider range of digital media and technologies and the ability to embed them in the design of their programmes so that they have the greatest impact.