The pandemic resulted in a dramatic shift in instruction and learning models for college faculty. What began as temporary measures in response to an emergency may end as a catalyst for the transformation of higher education. The end of the fall semester is an opportunity to review and reflect on what is and is not working as institutions continue to navigate uncertain times.
During the immediate transition to remote learning that the pandemic required, higher education faculty and their institutions demonstrated how quickly they could pivot in response to an international emergency, surprising many. Faculty and administrators increased their capacity for change over the last 18 months. Many found new ways to teach with technology, experimented with new learning models, and discovered interesting ways to communicate and collaborate with students. It has been hard work to manage so much change in such a short time.
Most campuses welcomed students back for full-time, in-person learning this fall. As a result of continuing COVID outbreaks, many courses are still being offered as a mix of in-person and online learning. The seismic disruption to higher education has resulted in the largest adoption of technology ever, allowing faculty to reconsider how they teach and explore new ways to teach, mentor, and coach students.
One of the biggest hurdles for both students and faculty is the ongoing mental health challenges as a result of pandemic uncertainty, depression, and anxiety. Many are still processing the loss of family and friends while trying to resume a “normal” life. Social emotional wellness is a high priority and faculty should prioritize their own mental health wellness and take the time between semesters to relax and renew themselves.
Review, Assess, and Recalibrate
For all the upheaval, this has been a time of experimentation. Institutions have had to shake up every process and policy to respond to the needs of faculty and students. It is time to fully embrace technology, particularly with routine tasks. Technology can support faculty in spending most of their time in direct engagement with students in person or online.
This break between semesters is a good opportunity to reflect on new practices that promise flexibility in how instructors teach and assess their students. Questions to consider include:
- Are there frequent opportunities for students to collaborate and learn from one another?
- Are feedback loops between students and faculty open and productive?
- Is course content and pedagogy still relevant after all this change?
- Have new practices to stimulate student engagement been implemented?
- Are equity and student success embedded in new practices?
- Has the focus shifted from instructor-led to student-centered learning?
- Do students have agency in how they manage their own learning process?
- Have students been given choice and flexibility in how they are assessed and demonstrate their knowledge and abilities?
- Have digital tools been optimized to create seamless transitions between online and in-person learning for effective blended learning?
- Are courses and topics connecting to students’ personal and career goals?
Faculty should be encouraged to take time to review and reflect on how the last 18 months have changed their teaching practice. It is also important for institutions to celebrate how they have navigated difficult times and found new growth and opportunity in the process. Now that they have proven they can meet extraordinary demands in a crisis, institutions can confidently recalibrate their missions to meet the changing demands of the future.