This blog is part of a series on ‘New Proposals for Digital Pedagogies’ that launches the Sussex Digital Pedagogies Toolkit.
This toolkit conceptualises new ways to think through digital teaching and learning, gathering data from members of the University of Sussex community who shared their thoughts, fears and hopes about digital pedagogy. This toolkit has been created collaboratively by a staff-student research team and uses material from a series of online workshops with members of the Sussex community, including faculty, professional services and students. Those who took part will be introduced as ‘participants’ to emphasise their active participation in knowledge production for this project.
This post will explore the challenges and proposals for teaching and learning with technologies in relation to format of teaching, as well as some questions for reflective practice and resources to explore these ideas further.
‘What does the digital or a platform offer specifically?’
Workshop participant
Participants reflected upon the difficulties and possibilities produced by the Covid-19 pandemic. Expectations were to migrate in-person teaching to online settings, with limited provisions or training on how to do so. This meant that the experiences of both those teaching and learning in online settings was particularly challenging, with limited acknowledgement of the difficulties of getting to grips with new technologies and the stresses of living through a pandemic, along with the unknown distinctions and possibilities that online learning could offer in comparison with in-person.
Pros of online learning
- The need driven by Covid-19 meant people were able to explore technological solutions in ways that were previously unimaginable.
- Online learning means that people can take part from all over the world.
- Only the space in front of the camera needs to be presentable!
- There is a comforting sense of anonymity if you want to engage more passively with the camera and mic off.
- At the same time, being able to see people’s names online helps teachers to keep track of who is talking in a way that is more difficult in person.
- Historically, teaching was written like textbooks. Online tools allow the creation of non-linear, differentiated journeys to (re)think how teaching takes place.
Cons of online learning
- Participants discussed the difficulties of meeting students’ needs with online learning, with students indicating they prefer an in-class or in-person ‘presence’.
- Online videos produced by teachers can feel like a textbook for some students.
- Those who teach online expressed the difficulties of being unable to see or hear students with cameras and mics off, with a lost sense of atmosphere.
- It is more difficult to maintain students’ attention or gauge engagement on Zoom.
- In Zoom, only one person can talk at a time which can sometimes mean people talking over each other, affecting the confidence of speakers.
- Chats with neighbours during small or large group sessions to check understandings – what one participant called ‘liminal spaces’ – are missing.
Questions and Resources
- What is distinct that can be done in-person and what can be done online?
- How might you share reflections with students around how/why the space is being used?
- How can clear expectations be set on how the online space of teaching should be navigated and can this be co-created and adjusted if necessary?
Read the full toolkit:
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