Transitioning to Online Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic

My dissertation examines the experiences of Teachers College faculty that transitioned to online teaching for the first time during the forced circumstances of COVID-19. More specifically, I explore: 1) the relationship between feeling prepared, supported, and connected with professional development; 2) the experiences of faculty making the transition to online teaching; and 3) how faculty described re-evaluating, as Boud describes it, their teaching experiences. To better understand this, I used the case-selection variant of the explanatory sequential, mixed-methods design (quan → QUAL). I surveyed 85 participants (Phase 1) that engaged in professional development opportunities provided by the institution to better understand their experiences preparing for this transition and then interviewed 10-participants (Phase 2) to better understand their unique experiences. I found that most participants that made this transition grew both in their ability to use technology and comfort with teaching online. Participants described the experience as a challenging transition, especially as there was little time to prepare; however, participants also learned (through consultations, intensive programs, colleagues, and students) from this experience. In Phase 2, 7 of 10 participants indicated that they will take their learnings from teaching online and integrate them into their face-to-face teaching.