Abstract:

In 2020 Universities globally made the transition from primarily in-person student attendance at classes to virtual teaching. Although technology has advanced at an exponential rate, prior to Covid-19 students and lecturers were still reliant on in-person attendance for the exchange of knowledge and active engagement in classes. Since the Covid-19 pandemic can professional educators still expect student in-person attendance in classes in the same way?

The aim of this session is to explore the transition of students back onto campus and how we, as lecturers, facilitate the move back to in-person teaching. We will share our experience and good practice with colleagues so that delegates may implement the findings/initiatives in their own practice. It is a real-life study aimed to individualise the learning experience for students. As lecturers, we experience, on a daily basis the barriers students have faced due to the pandemic and we will focus on two aspects: firstly, the aspect of concentrating on the transition back to in-person teaching, secondly, the use of technology in curriculum design to enhance quality, diversity and inclusion for all.

Through the feedback from a focus group of students we concentrated on the transition firstly back to campus in semester 1 where there was a blend of both virtual and in-person teaching and the transition to semester 2 where all classes were back in person. We will discuss issues such as what went well, what did students want to keep and what did they want to change?

As lecturers, we construct our lectures and seminars around various pedagogies attempting to engage students and the assumption was that student were keen to return to campus. Why then did we find that not all students were attending when the University reopened for face-to-face teaching. The feedback from our student focus group encouraged us to look into our own teaching history and questioned issues such as , do we know what students want, or do we presume to know?

The presentation fits into the theme of trends and issues in education as it gives a first-hand innovative account of being a lecturer in the current climate. It concentrates on the move back to in-person teaching and the transition issues for students. It is an account, based on recent studies, into the learning process of teacher and students and how that partnership is persistently joined by a third player - technology. The research is intended to give delegates an insight into the role of the students and perhaps, the conflicting role of the lecturer where students have learned to adapt to the virtual learning environment.

Keywords:

Covid-19, technology, in-person teaching, transition, student engagement.