In-between worlds: Chilean university lecturers’ experiences of teaching transition between face-to-face and virtual reality contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The advent of new technology is breaking the boundaries of traditional teaching and learning patterns with virtual worlds (VW) creating new frontiers in education. Previous research has explored the use of VW within educational settings. However, limited studies have investigated the transition processes that educators experience by adopting VW based online tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative exploratory study investigated 18 Chilean lecturers’ teaching experiences using a three-dimensional computer-mediated environment: Second Life. Findings suggest that changing from traditional to virtual teaching context is a complex process, which (re)shaped the lecturers’ various senses of identity and agency towards different instructional approaches resulting in the sense of in-betweenness with multiple digital competencies. These changes indicated that they taught in an ‘in-between’ mode mapped by different teaching mediations. The participants’ teaching experiences of shaping a sense of in-betweenness could provide a unique theoretical lens to explore instructors’ teaching experiences from traditional to a technology-mediated online setting.

Online Learning and Experiences in Higher Education during COVID-19: A Systematic Review

“…First, most stated that they did not feel prepared for online teaching [60,61] since they acknowledged not having previous experience [28] in creating and adapting didactic material, and effectively and efficiently managing the necessary platforms and technologies [62]. Undoubtedly, teachers did not have an easy time and required time to adapt to the new scenario [1,10,63].…”

“…The technological environment was not exempt from any inconveniences either, with claims of problems with the use of the platforms [10,28,62], with the audio and image quality of the virtual classes [50], and with Internet connectivity [28]. Additionally, some teachers reported not having all the necessary software to teach their classes [61], and others reported feeling overwhelmed at first with the virtual environments [63].…”

“…Dai et al [63] 18 professors from different disciplines Little confidence in the use of technology. Time was required to adapt.…”