He Waka Eka Noa (We Are All in the Canoe Together): A New Zealand Tertiary Teaching Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic

Conference: The Asian Conference on Education (ACE2022)
Title: He Waka Eka Noa (We Are All in the Canoe Together): A New Zealand Tertiary Teaching Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Stream: Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
Authors:
Susie Kung, Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Abstract:

Literature abounds on blended/online learning due to the rising need for flexible learning modes in response to societal changes. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the need for online learning platforms that are flexible, ready and responsive to changes in educational landscapes. This presentation is based on a research project which sought to investigate the impact of online/blended teaching-learning spaces on relational pedagogy. The case study approach was used and the participants were students enrolled in a teacher education programme in New Zealand. Data was collected through an online survey, followed by focus group interviews. Some initial findings include: Sustained engagement, motivation and nurturing relationships in an online space requires the lecturer’s skillful setting up of the learning environment; consistent, cohesive and reliable messaging across all levels of the organisation helps reduce student stress and the importance of organisational leadership in navigating disruptions in learning caused by Covid-19 Some implications of these findings are: the importance of upskilling lecturers in Online Technologies (OT) and online pedagogy; organisational investments in communication resources and clear communication protocols which aide students’ adaptation to fluctuations in their learning. An emerging theme in the margins of this research is the stabilising role played by both formal and informal academic leadership in an increasingly dynamic and complex tertiary teaching-learning environment. A distributive model of leadership appears to be favoured. This finding has implications for how the tertiary education sector is led into the future. It is proposed this emerging theme deserves more attention, academic dialogue and further research.



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