The positive in the tragic: Covid pandemic as an impetus for change in teaching and assessment in higher education

Abstract

The spread of Covid-19 pandemic upturned higher education routines, inducing a shift to online learning which sometimes translated into a huge leap towards didactic experimentation. While exposing critical issues in existing teaching methodologies and assessment processes, such emergency distance education condition could spark meaningful educational innovation. This paper describes an international study engaging teachers of professionalizing courses in the educational area across the world (N=120). The aim was to investigate their perception of the induced distance education in terms of teaching methodology and assessment practices. Emerging findings indicate a silver lining in the midst of the pandemic storm, as teaching practices gear more towards being student-centred.

Loneliness through the lens of Black feminist love-politics: pedagogical practices amid pandemic online learning

“…Some of these discussions stem from neoliberal ideologies that focus on concerns around "cheating," or administrative issues, such as access to testing programs. However, the pandemic has taught some educators to foreground students' socio-emotional needs and have made pedagogical choices that center learning rather than evaluation (Trevisan et al, 2021).…”

“…In the spring of 2020, academic institutions had to abruptly close all in-person activities and shift to what some scholars term "emergency remote teaching" (Hodges et al, 2020), which differs from conventional online teaching (Cullinane and Montacute, 2020). When education shifted, faculty and staff put forth their best efforts to create welcoming and inclusive online environments, often with insufficient preparation and training (Trevisan et al, 2021). Students had to quickly adapt as they continued their courses in the new paradigm.…”

Multinational perspectives on Covid-19 challenges: Faculty responses to distance education in Italy and the USA

“…Selected second round findings from a survey administered to HE institutions worldwide are presented in this paper. An earlier version of the Higher Education Technology Survey was circulated worldwide in the spring of 2020 (Trevisan et al, 2020;Trevisan et al, 2021) This study aims to help understand how HE faculty are coping with the abrupt change in teaching caused by the pandemic, from the perspective of one year into the pandemic. This understanding can inform institutional strategies to best support effective and efficient DE for learning at higher education level.…”

“…The Higher Education Technology Survey (Trevisan et al, 2020;Trevisan et al, 2021;Trevisan et al, 2022) was developed to measure university faculty's perceptions about the changes in teaching that resulted from Covid-19. The survey includes ten demographic items with binary, open-ended, or 4-point Likert scale questions.…”

Open voices on COVID-19: covid challenges and opportunities driving the research agenda

“…This presents an opportunity for practitioners and researchers to evaluate the limitations of previously accepted practice as well as critiquing that of emerging and often less refined or developed approaches. Those reporting clear change in evaluation practice remain in the minority according to a survey of American and European teachers (Trevisan et al, 2020) Whitelock, D., . Editorial.…”