Every Learner Everywhere
Tyton Partners
Digital Promise

Time For Class: COVID-19 Edition Part 1

Part 1: A National Survey of Faculty during COVID-19

This spring, higher education institutions engaged in a rapid and unprecedented movement to remote teaching and learning that exposed a new cohort of faculty with no prior experience teaching online to the use of digital learning tools and techniques. Counter to the prevailing sentiment in the popular press, this transition left many faculty with a more positive perception of online learning. However, the shift also exposed major challenges, which include instructor and institutional readiness, consistency of experience, gaps in student access and readiness, and trust in institutions’ ability to solve for these issues.

This report presents the first results from an ongoing series of surveys and focus groups with faculty designed to understand the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning in higher education. More than 4,000 faculty at over 1,500 higher education institutions nationwide have thoughtfully shared their experiences. This first analysis focuses on understanding the extent of the spring 2020 transition to remote learning. Future installments in the series will focus on understanding evolving hybrid delivery approaches and their impact on instruction, tools, and practices; professional development priorities; impacts on access and equity; and the specific experiences of faculty teaching introductory courses.

At the time of this report’s release, we are still amidst much uncertainty. Many institutions are still finalizing the details of their fall instructional plans, and we continue to monitor these varied plans and instructional models. However, what is certain is that there will be no “back to normal.” The impact of a global pandemic and economic crisis has created a shift in how, when, and where student learning occurs.

The increased use and adoption of digital learning tools and techniques to enable learning and flexibility is here to stay. And a professoriate that has largely worked tirelessly to support students in the unprecedented spring transition needs support to be ready for this new reality.

Download Time for Class Covid-19 Edition Part I

 

Recommended citation:

Fox, K., Bryant, G., Lin, N., Srinivasan, N. (2020, July 8). Time for Class – COVID-19 Edition Part 1: A National Survey of Faculty during COVID-19. Tyton Partners and Every Learner Everywhere. https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/resources/time-for-class-covid-19-edition-part-1/

Time for Class: COVID-19 Edition

Time For Class: COVID-19 Edition Part 1

Time For Class Image

July 2020

The report presents first results from an ongoing series of surveys and focus groups with faculty designed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on higher ed.

Other Related Resources

Pillar Resource

2023 Annual Impact Report

Annual Impact Report Cover with female student on campus holding laptop.

February 2024

In this report, you can read about the network’s impact in the areas of services, thought leadership, and student engagement. In addition, we recap our 2023 network convening, introduce our new Equity First Organization partners, feature some of our student interns, and give readers a preview of what’s ahead for the network in 2024.

Pillar Resource

Planning for Academic Continuity

Students walking on campus with Academic Continuity Plan.

August 2023

This guide presents results from an analysis of 100 academic continuity plans at U.S. colleges and universities. The results form the basis for recommended academic continuity plan best practices, tools, and templates academic leaders can use to maintain a plan that can be used in both short-term and long-term circumstances.

Pillar Resource

Time for Class 2023

June 2023

This 2023 study – the largest and longest running study monitoring digital learning in higher education – aims to identify the differences between student and institutional stakeholder experiences and preferences to suggest ways institutions and solution providers can address these differences.