Hughes, Mary

Wright, Julie

2023

Abstract only. Please contact the author for access.

The disruption caused by the Covid_19 pandemic forced educational institutions worldwide to rethink and reshape conventional delivery models of learning and teaching. This transition from face-to-face instruction to remote learning through virtual classrooms and the use of online platforms became the ‘new normal’, aimed at limiting the spread of the deadly virus. Teachers in the tertiary sector faced enormous challenges in the rapid transition to online learning, forging new paths into unknown territory and facing uncertainties about the future. The reality of teachers’ day-to-day work was, in many cases, not what their roles dictated of them in a pre-pandemic world. This paper is based on ongoing research that builds on an earlier study exploring the innovations and adaptations made to face-to-face delivery in programs from Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE) in a TAFE institute in Victoria, Australia. Of significance is the unique context of the study, being a mixed-sector institute that offers VET and HE programs. Participants were drawn from two faculties within the Institute and included learners, teachers and lecturers. One aim of the study was to examine the online instructional approaches teachers implemented to replace in-person delivery. We used in-depth contextual interviews, collection of documents and artefacts, and an audit of the online learning platform as data collection methods in this single case study. Findings from the study showed that teaching staff from VET and HE were challenged by the online learning experience, firstly in the changes to pedagogical approaches and secondly, in the uptake of new technology. The provision of synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning was fraught, with the speed of the changes imposed on teaching staff being problematic. Professional learning and support were provided by the Institute but often did not meet the needs of teachers. As emergency remote teaching continued, teachers were given more flexibility and autonomy to adapt and adjust their pedagogical approaches and use of digital tools. They developed and engaged in virtual classrooms, mastered new skills such as creating short instructional videos and adjusted and adapted assessment tasks. In this presentation the researchers will consider, firstly, how the pandemic has recalibrated the way teachers work in a post-pandemic world, and secondly, the critical need for education systems to further empower teachers by investing in skills development and capacity-building.

Holmesglen Institute

Holmesglen Institute

Early Childhood Education

https://holmesglen.intersearch.com.au/handle/20.500.11800/449

AARE

Faculty of Education and Foundation Studies

VET

Vocational Education and Training

HIgher Education

Delivery Modes

Online learning

Virtual classroom

Remote teaching

Post COVID-19

Transitioning to a new way of dong things: A post-pandemic future for online learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE) in a mixed sector institute.

Conference Paper

Publication