Abstract

Distance or online learning is more than simply uploading and delivering learning resources to learners but in fact, it is a process that provides learners with autonomy, responsibility, flexibility and choice. This can be a challenge for many academic teachers. In 2020, as universities globally shifted to online learning, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of staff have supported colleagues to develop e-learning techniques ‘just-in-time’ for effective delivery to students in fully online platforms. This has required a transformation of educational development and faculty support globally. This paper will reflect on mechanisms of support demonstrating tailored staff support to transform education in three case scenario contexts, during the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in three different countries. Our case studies illustrate that support lies beyond technological capability building to also incorporate the essentials of holistic well-being and resilience reinforcement. This paper demonstrates temporary solutions to a global crisis in online education and reflects on lessons learnt and how e-teaching and e-learning support may transform beyond the pandemic.

Practitioner Notes

  1. To enable effective pedagogical practices in online delivery, prior experience in open, online and distance learning must be recognised. This will enable formal just-in-time training to be organised providing exemplars on new systems and what teaching online looks like with adaptable frameworks provided.
  2. When transitioning to online, it is important to acknowledge the time required to adapt pedagogy to an online platform that is interactive and provides a positive student experience.
  3. Administrative work should be limited to a minimum during online transition.
  4. Collegial support is important and should be maintained and encouraged to enhance resilience and well-being among teaching staff.

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