Moving fully online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: The good, the bad, and the better

Background/context. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous economic, health and wellbeing issues, it has also caused significant disruption across the education sector. Universities were prompted, or forced, to transition from face-to-face teaching to fully online teaching practices in a short period of time; with many being unprepared to do so (Jung et al., 2021; Metcalfe, 2021). This presentation explores the experience of the University of New England (UNE) in transitioning its learning, teaching and assessment to fully online. In contrast to other institutions either having to shut down their learning and teaching activities or resorting to restricted forms of operations (Naidu, 2021), the experience of educators at UNE wasn’t all bad. Against this backdrop, the presentation reflects how learning, teaching and assessment practices at UNE were modified in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adopting an optimistic stance, the presentation describes the challenges, opportunities, and the positive lessons learned, celebrating multiple successes.

The initiative/practice. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNE has continued its learning, teaching and assessment practices, although numerous adjustments have been necessary. Courses that were previously offered via mixed modes (online and on-campus) were transitioned to being fully online. On-campus activities such as practicals, laboratory demonstrations, and intensive schools were revised and re-imagined for fully online delivery.

Methods of evaluative data collection and analysis.Semi-structured, conversational-style interviews were conducted with 18 academic staff at UNE about their experiences of transitioning to fully online delivery. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded and subjected to thematic analysis to capture key ideas and emergent themes.

Evidence of outcomes and effectiveness. Thematic analysis of interview data identified that despite the challenges, a range of positive experiences, practices and attitudes emerged from the transition to fully online delivery.