This study builds upon the expertise of faculty, administrators, students, and instructional designers who experienced the pandemic and challenges. They provided insight on establishing systems to create successful online teaching and learning opportunities in the post-vaccine and post-pandemic world. Four themes emerged and were described in light of theoretical frameworks.
This exploratory study builds upon the expertise of a panel of faculty, administrators, students, and instructional designers (IDs) who lived through the pandemic and dealt with the associated challenges firsthand. These participants provided insight on how to establish systems that would create successful online teaching and learning opportunities in the post-vaccine and post-pandemic world. Four major themes emerged: (a) integrating technology to facilitate and enhance education; (b) structural support and resources needed to build sound processes for effective online education; (c) establishing faculty presence to facilitate learning; and (d) joint ownership and responsibility of learning—everyone must play a part. These themes have been described in light of theoretical frameworks, such as the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, Community of Inquiry (COI), and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). Finally, evidence-based tips will allow academic institutions to successfully emerge out of the pandemic while still making plans to adjust and adapt in the post-vaccine world.
Plan for interactivity. We will engage the audience's with a short case study where participants will get a chance to reflect upon their own experiences and discuss how this study's results is applicable to their own academic setting.
The audience will learn:
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What could have made the emergency transition to online, hybrid, and blended learning more successful for faculty and students?
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Our findings about the future of traditional face-to-face learning post-vaccine and post-pandemic.
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Our research findings about how universities can utilize lessons learned during the pandemic to move Forward and transition into the next phase, especially in the post-vaccine and post-pandemic world.
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What can faculty, administrators, students, and instructional designers do to make online, hybrid, and blended learning successful in the event of future disruptions that call for emergency remote teaching and learning (emphasis on post-vaccine and post-pandemic world)?
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What would you say to colleagues and students as we try to return to universities/academic settings with the continued uncertainty of the current pandemic?
This study was conducted in 2021 and has been published in a peer-reviewed international journal. We are not including citations for confidentiality purposes. Please contact lead presenters for a link to the full-text article.