Radical Flexibility and Relationality as Responses to Education in Times of Crisis

Veletsianos, George; Houlden, Shandell

doi:10.1007/s42438-020-00196-3

Cited by 46 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…Hence the new concept of "viral modernity", an example of "bio-informationalism", which applies to "viral technologies, codes and ecosystems in information systems, publication, education and emerging knowledge" [ 2 ]. In this unstable environment, Veletsianos & Houlden [ 3 ] maintain the need for a flexible education (teaching and learning anywhere, anytime) that promotes a more just, accessible, autonomous, and creative system. Flexible education, so that it does not become a discriminatory option, must be compatible with socio-constructivist pedagogical approaches such as cooperative learning, learning communities, networked learning or peer learning, supporting students by considering their individual characteristics and the context in which they are developed [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The educational integration of digital technologies preCovid-19: Lessons for teacher education

et al. 2021

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The educational integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has been put to the test because of the need to implement «emergency remote education» as a result of COVID-19. Within this context of uncertainty («viral modernity»), flexible education is an option to promote a more just, equitable, accessible and creative educational system. In order to properly interpret the effects of this unique educational circumstance, it is essential to study the previous situation in terms of the use of digital technologies in teaching practices. The objective of the study is to describe the educational integration of ICT and the teacher education model to obtain evidence that contributes to understanding the phenomenon. To this end, a questionnaire consisting of two self-reporting tools and a scale on the description of teaching practice with ICT was applied. The sample is made up of teachers from public primary and secondary schools (N = 251). Data collection was carried out in the months prior to the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A univariate analysis of the variables and contrast tests of non-parametric hypotheses was carried out, along with calculation of the reliability and construction validity of the measuring instruments. The results reveal the most frequent types of teaching practice with ICT and the spaces where digital technologies are commonly used. Various weaknesses can be identified in digital competence among teachers, as well as in the initial/continuing training model, which contribute to the understanding of the difficulties encountered during "emergency remote education". Participation in ICT didactic innovation projects and the performance of ICT Coordination are associated with more experiential training. Flexible education requires a redefinition of the teacher training model that encourages learning anywhere, anytime.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The educational integration of digital technologies preCovid-19: Lessons for teacher education

et al. 2021

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“…In one of these, Whittle et al (2020) engaged K‐12 teachers and professional instructional designers through a participatory design methodology, intending to provide an educational framework that considers factors such as multiple subject areas, school districts, learner ages and socio‐economic situations when designing unplanned or responsive remote teaching solutions. In a similar vein, radical flexibility and relationality are suggested as ways to create sustainable education for all and for the future: flexible education needs to be equitable, just, accessible, empowering and imaginative (Veletsianos & Houlden, 2020). Indications for flexibility and change are also provided by proposals that suggest fostering active learning, community building and civic participation in an emergency through the use of social media in combination with conventional LMS (Greenhow & Chapman, 2020), or supporting students’ affective, behavioural and cognitive engagement by leveraging the school community (Borup et al, 2020).…”

Section: Related Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting educational practices in emergency remote education: Continuity and change from a student perspective

Manca

Delfino²

2021

Brit J Educational Tech

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In this study, we adopt an ecological perspective to reflect on how a specific Italian school cluster adapted to the challenges of the COVID‐19 pandemic by focusing on how students experienced the interplay between continuity and change in school teaching and learning practices caused by the pandemic. Specifically, the study investigates how the school's physical/virtual learning system was (re)configured to provide new opportunities for learning to a thousand‐plus population of primary and secondary students, and how they reacted to the transition to distance learning in terms of participation, autonomy, motivation and engagement. The research adopts a mixed method approach, based on school management system data and a survey tool, and analyses the students’ response to the emergency from the perspectives of the students themselves, their teachers and their parents. While these converged in positive evaluation of the experience, a number of lessons were learnt, such as the importance of building on favourable pre‐existing conditions and leveraging a solid shared school culture to promote a prompt reaction to the emergency. Significantly, students with an immigrant background displayed varying degrees of participation in online activities. Overall, for each of the three stakeholder groups surveyed, solid pre‐existing digital competence levels and close collaboration within the school community were the most important factors for non‐traumatic transition to distance learning. What is already known about this topic? Research on the relationship between the COVID‐19 pandemic and the effects on teaching and learning processes is constantly increasing. Most recently published studies focus on higher education, while very few investigate the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on K‐12 education. Very few papers have studied the interplay between change and continuity within an educational ecosystem in times of crisis. What this paper adds? This is one of the first studies to analyse the process of systematic transition from onsite learning to online learning within the Italian school system in response to the pandemic. This study employs a multiple perspective research approach to analyse Emergency Remote Education in a sizeable school cluster, with a specific focus on student response. Teachers, students and their families all saw solid pre‐existing digital competence and close school community collaboration as key factors facilitating rapid adjustment to the emergency. Implications for practice and policy Having a solid common school culture to rely on facilitates prompt emergency reaction. Encouraging the creation of professional communities of practice that comprise both expert and novice teachers can help prepare educators to deal with an educational emergency through adoption and appropriate use of technological solutions. Collaboration between school and families proves to be a key factor for dealing with emergencies.

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“…Another implication of this finding, supported by Ann Ewing's findings ( 2021), is that the effectiveness of online teaching is still largely based on face-to-face teaching techniques. Effective online teaching is not only intended to serve as an optional or alternative environment for traditional face-to-face activities; rather it aims to offer radical flexibility (Veletsianos and Houlden, 2020). The analysis of the third question reveals four key factors contributing to the ineffectiveness of online teaching: (a) technological constraints, (b) learners' unpreparedness, (c) teachers' technophobia and (d) health issues.…”

Section: Findings and Implications For Further Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such a shift also emphasizes the importance of teachers 'acceptance of different modes of teaching as well as their readiness for the environments within which they are asked to teach. As no education programme can fully prepare the teaching staff for unanticipated demands and challenges (Jensen et al, 2010), teachers may be in need of motivating flexible programmes to help them leave their comfort zones and better prepare their students for 21 st century skills and competencies (Veletsianos and Houlden, 2020). Despite extensive research on the effectiveness of teaching in the traditional classroom (Seidel and Shavelson, 2007), limited literature exists on what makes teaching effective outside it (Rasmussen, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online Teachers: Stepping out of the Comfort Zone Is a Must

Abdelhadi¹

2021

HMS-SJKFU

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The urgent shift to the online instructional environment has produced unprecedented challenges for teachers and placed new obligations on them. In this context, the study at hand investigated higher education teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of online teaching, their readiness to teach online and their willingness to teach outside their comfort zone. To this end, an online survey was conducted with 24 EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers from various Algerian universities using a questionnaire created in Google Forms. The obtained results reveal that the majority of the EFL teachers perceive online teaching as less effective than face-to-face teaching due to three key factors: technological constraints, learners’ unpreparedness, teachers’ technophobia and health issues. Though it was mandatory for them to teach online at the beginning of the lockdown in March, the teachers’ responses imply a low level of personal and contextual readiness, which, in turn, affected their willingness to teach online. This study highlights the correlation between teachers’ readiness and willingness to teach online. It indicates that a high level of readiness can help the teacher adapt to the change, reduce resistance and ensure the constant extension of their comfort zone. This study ends with some practical suggestions and a number of opportunities for future research.

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Radical Flexibility and Relationality as Responses to Education in Times of Crisis

Cited by 46 publications

References 43 publications

The educational integration of digital technologies preCovid-19: Lessons for teacher education

The educational integration of digital technologies preCovid-19: Lessons for teacher education

Adapting educational practices in emergency remote education: Continuity and change from a student perspective

Online Teachers: Stepping out of the Comfort Zone Is a Must

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