Never‐ending repetitiveness, sadness, loss, and “juggling with a blindfold on:” Lived experiences of Canadian college and university faculty members during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

We report on the lived experiences of faculty members during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic, exploring the broader experiences of faculty members as individuals living multifaceted lives whose homes became their offices, their students scattered geographically and their home lives upended. Using a phenomenological approach for data collection and analysis, we conducted 20 in‐depth interviews with faculty holding varied academic appointments at universities across Canada. Experiences during the early months of the pandemic were described as being overwhelming and exhausting, and participants described as being stuck in a cycle of never‐ending repetitiveness, sadness and loss, or managing life, teaching and other professional responsibilities with little sense of direction. In keeping with phenomenological methods, this research paints a visceral picture of faculty experiences, seeking to contextualize teaching and learning during this time. Its unique contribution lies in portraying emergency remote teaching as an overlapping and tumultuous world of personal, professional and day‐to‐day responsibilities. What is already known about this topic Surveys and first‐person accounts of remote teaching paint an initial picture of experiences. During the COVID‐19 pandemic many faculty were facing various anxieties and tensions. The transition to remote teaching was uneven. What this paper adds A systematic analysis of faculty experiences during the early months of the pandemic. Evocative and vivid descriptions of academics’ experiences. An explanation of what it feels like to live through this time. Implications for practice and/or policy Faculty require more support. Trauma‐aware and trauma‐informed practices can support faculty and their work. Rich descriptions can inform future policymaking and practice.

How student perceptions about online learning difficulty influenced their satisfaction during Canada's Covid‐19 response

“…As the pandemic progressed, it became clear that there were additional considerations that affected online teaching success. Online courses still require faculty to provide learning material and communicate directly with students (Swan, 2019), and the change in communication format initially became a source of anxiety for many (Unger & Meiran, 2020; VanLeeuwen et al., 2021). Though many instructors were unprepared for the new teaching medium, many instructors and students alike later benefitted from the flexibility of material and classroom “space” that could be accessed anytime and from any place.…”

Salutogenesis and COVID-19 pandemic impacting nursing education across SEANERN affiliated universities: A multi-national study

“…However, 48% encountered Internet-related problems, 44% reported difficulty in adapting the curriculum to distance education and 65% had issues providing exams to students ( Kalanlar, 2022 ). In reaction to the COVID-19 measures implemented, nursing staff members in Canada were required to make the necessary preparation for remote learning by working longer hours to transition existing curriculum to suit remote teaching ( VanLeeuwen et al, 2021 ). The pandemic might have also affected their research projects.…”

“…The pandemic might have also affected their research projects. A few studies from Canada and Kosovo found that faculty members often felt overwhelmed by work ( VanLeeuwen et al, 2021 ) and faced stress and uncertainty due to the lack of prior experience in conducting E-learning ( Duraku and Hoxha, 2020 ). The stress and anxiety arising from the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic might affect their mental health.…”

Kiltz et al. (under review) Caught Between Relief and Unease: How University Students’ Well-Being Relates to Their Learning Environment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Netherlands

“…This phenomenon can arise from non-transparent communication on both sides: Students may not be aware of the teachers' efforts in online teaching, and teachers may have lost sense of their students' well-being. Teachers experienced remote education in the pandemic negatively as well (Moorhouse & Kohnke, 2021;VanLeeuwen et al, 2021), and communicating such struggles to students may create a sense of common humanity. The feeling of being in it together and acknowledging one another's problems could then contribute to a greater feeling of relatedness.…”