Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to the daily operations of educational systems across the globe. Fortunately, many institutes of higher education and post-graduate studies have successfully implemented virtual learning platforms and have developed new, innovative teaching methods and ways of presenting data.

The flexibility demonstrated by Erasmus + teaching staff in both the pre-pandemic and pandemic world sparked our desire to better understand how the experience gained at an Erasmus Exchange can affect career prospects and improve the professional skills of teachers.

The goal of this research is to analyze the experiences of educators with both the online and offline Erasmus Exchange program, particularly regarding the improvement of communication between international research contacts and the impact it has had on teaching activities.

Regarding the literature review, we utilized findings from previous studies as a basis for comparing the results of our research to and as a guide for the creation of our questionnaire. We emailed a link to our questionnaire on survio.com to 102 teachers who have already had experience with Erasmus + teaching staff mobility, whether it be online, offline, or both, with the intent of comparing and contrasting their online experience versus their offline experience.

The main goal of the questionnaire is to analyze their perceptions regarding the development of their professional skills and the influence it has had on their future career prospects. The period of teaching staff mobility only lasted for two weeks and while it is not expected to have had a significant impact on the professional lives of experienced teachers and researchers. However, we want to analyze the perceptions in the ways in which Erasmus + teaching staff mobility can increase cultural awareness and cultivate an interest in visiting the host country, as well as the impact it has had on information exchange, the sharing of ideas, and the establishment of new contacts between the home and host university.

Based on the results of the questionnaire, we have concluded that their experiences with Erasmus, both online and offline, have yielded a positive impact on the professional skills of educators. More specifically, it has driven the development of innovative problem solving methods and the exchange of new ideas and information.

The majority of teachers participating in the offline program reported that it has had a considerably positive influence on their career prospects due to the opportunities the program offered for the establishment of international research contacts. In contrast, the majority of online participants complained about the lack of face-to-face communication and difficulties with establishing new professional contacts. Despite this, 68% of respondents reported that they saw the Erasmus + platform as an effective way to encourage cooperation and problem solving during the pandemic period. Overall, the impact appears to have been more profitable among teachers who had the offline experience at an Erasmus Exchange than those who were teaching and studying through the online program. Only a few teachers reported feeling that the teaching mobility was extra work that did not result in any extra compensation. The overall consensus was that the Erasmus + teaching staff mobility was a positive experience.

Keywords:

Erasmus, online, offline, educators, professional, staff mobility.