A permanent Pivot to online learning, or will universities bounce back to normal?

Abstract

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on how universities (higher or tertiary education) globally have taught students, throughout 2020 and into 2021. The response to the Coronavirus pandemic saw a mass pivot towards online learning in many countries (Gardner, 2020). The initial emergency switch over as countries introduced lockdowns and restricted mass gatherings and movement, saw staff rapidly adapting teaching materials and assessment. This initial period also saw students moving from large social support networks to isolated study. As countries entered second and third lockdowns, and as there were opportunities for more medium term planning, institutions adopted more structured approaches to remote learning. In this discussion paper we will consider the issues and potential challenges for universities in the post-Covid world. This paper outlines some of the issues for online learning and considers different types of online learning. It goes on to outline the issues experienced during 2020 and 2021, and looks forward to what is needed for successful blended approach to learning in the future.