Examining academics’ changing approaches to teaching in response to the pandemic disruption: a phenomenographic approach

Abstract

University curriculum systems are complex, and their modification requires coordinating multiple processes and broad consultation with teaching academics and leaders. Strong influences including policy changes and external disruptions can bring about rapid system-wide change, but these are not without stress and may not be sustainable. To appreciate how disruptions influence university teaching and learning over the longer term, we need to better understand how teachers respond. We examined the experiences of teaching academics during the disruption of COVID-19, using the relational 3P model as a guiding framework. Using phenomenographic analyses, we defined three key categories within which academics’ experiences varied: Teaching & Learning; Support, and their Role. Teachers’ perceptions of support and role were intertwined, forming a broader context than described by the relational 3P model. We suggest a modified model to better align with academics’ experiences during change, upon which supportive structures and processes can be designed.