Teaching in times of corona: a look at the challenges from the perspective of research on learning and instruction

Abstract

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nationwide school closures caused exceptional circumstances that created new and unpredictable challenges for teachers. In this article, we synthesize research on learning and instruction to examine how teachers can teach effectively in a pandemic. First, we shed light on the disadvantages associated with exclusively taking a view on the surface structures of teaching in the discussion about good teaching under pandemic conditions. Second, on the basis of the deep structures of teaching, we present challenges caused by a pandemic for high-quality teaching in terms of cognitive activation, student support and classroom management. Third, we discuss more specifically how instructional activities can be intentionally designed by teachers with regard to stimulating motivation, presenting information, processing information, practicing, enhancing transfer, and providing feedback to facilitate learning in times of a pandemic. In this context, we also discuss the important role of parental support for learning. Fourth, we provide recommendations for good teaching under pandemic conditions and discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen as a chance for research to generate knowledge on new forms of individual learning that could enrich future teaching.