Exploring the Teaching and Learning Experiences of Faculty at A Small Comprehensive College as They Transitioned to the Remote Environment: A Phenomenological Study of Shifting Mindsets and Locations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Michele L. Vanasse, University of Massachusetts AmherstFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7192-693X

AccessType

Campus-Only Access for One (1) Year

Document Type

dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Program

Education

Year Degree Awarded

2024

Month Degree Awarded

February

First Advisor

Linda Griffin

Second Advisor

Scott Monroe

Third Advisor

Daniel Gerber

Abstract

In the spring semester of 2020, higher education faculty faced an unprecedented challenge when they had to quickly transition their courses to a remote learning environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about how faculty learned how to teach remotely during this unprecedented disruption. This study employed a phenomenological approach to investigate the lived (teaching and learning) experiences of 10 faculty members and two administrative personnel from a small comprehensive college in the Northeastern United States during the COVID-19 crisis. To examine their lived experiences, I employed multiple sources of evidence, including a demographic survey, semi-structured 40-75-minute interviews with each participant, and faculty participants who also completed the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI). The data was analyzed over time using a combination of techniques including crystallization (i.e., a thematic, bottom-up inductive coding process), Braun and Clarkes, Thematic Analysis, and Miles and Huberman’s framework of data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and verification. I framed the emergent themes through the lens of Schlossberg’s Adult Transition Theory. The study confirmed previous research that faculty faced many challenges during their transition to the remote environment, including issues related to pedagogy, physical space, communication, psychological challenges, preparation issues, and issues related to technology and work-life balance. However, the findings also contributed to the body of teaching and learning research by revealing that the overwhelming majority of the faculty drew upon a number of internal (e.g., Faculty Development Center, Director and others, faculty meetings, and meetings with colleagues in different configurations of Communities of Practice) and external supports (e.g., professional organizations, colleagues) to help mitigate their challenges and promote deep learning. Most interesting was the fact that faculty made a concerted effort to learn how to teach remotely by connecting with each other in ways they had not previously done. Additionally, consistent with adult learning theory, most of the faculty also engaged in self-directed learning and utilized various kinds of reflective strategies to improve their teaching and learning practices. The findings of this study can guide administrators in making policy and programming decisions regarding the inclusion of pedagogical coursework for doctoral students; faculty developers to provide faculty with targeted professional development training to meet their specific and immediate needs, specifically through Communities of Practice; and faculty to be more intentional about engaging in ongoing faculty development activities with others to deepen their learning.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/36366303

Recommended Citation

Vanasse, Michele L., "Exploring the Teaching and Learning Experiences of Faculty at A Small Comprehensive College as They Transitioned to the Remote Environment: A Phenomenological Study of Shifting Mindsets and Locations During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations. 3097.
https://doi.org/10.7275/36366303 https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/3097

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.