Will interfaces take over the physical workplace in higher education? A pessimistic view of the future

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue for the sustained need for the physical workplace and real-life encounters in higher education even in the digital age despite being seemingly transformable into the virtual sphere as seen during the COVID-19 situation. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a collaborative autoethnography by a group of seven higher educators with an overall 2,134 student encounters during the study’s time span. The authors then connect these practitioner observations with relevant COVID-19-related studies thereby adding to research on higher education as a workplace. Findings The data suggest that the physical workplace strongly bolsters the personal experience and effectiveness of higher education through contributing to its dynamics. Spaces predetermine the scope and levels of human interaction of teaching and learning. In a physical setting, all senses serve as mediators, whereas, online, only two senses are involved: vision and hearing. The two-dimensional screen becomes a mediator of communications. In the physical space, actors are free to adjust the working space, whereas the online working space is limited and defined by platforms. Practical implications Although higher education institutions may indeed fully substitute most practices formerly in a physical setting with online solutions, real-time encounters in the physical working space belong to its deeper raisons d'être. Originality/value This paper highlights the necessity of the physical workplace in higher education and describes the depriving potential of the exclusively online higher education teaching setting.

Online only: Future outlooks of post-pandemic education based on student experiences of the virtual university

“…The brick and mortar University and the offline discussions and classes moderated by the Educators are important sites (Horváth et al 2021) of building up social capital, one of the main assets gained in a University, apart from cultural capital (knowledge and diploma). Social capital is built through vivid interaction, where course activities play an important role.…”

Digitale Zukünfte der Universität: Szenarien soziotechnischen Wandels

“…betonen, dass sowohl utopische als auch dystopische Zukunftsvorstellungen Einblick in geteilte gesellschaftliche Ideale und Ziele geben und damit die Aushandlungsprozesse der universitären Zukunft mitgestalten (Horváth et al. 2021 , S. 12).…”

“…Horváth et al. 2021 , S. 2). Besonders von Studierendenseite wurde die soziale Komponente des Campuslebens als motivationsfördernd und qualitätssteigernd hervorgehoben (vgl.…”

“… 2021 ; Gurukkal 2020 ; Horváth et al. 2021 ). Der Einsatz digitaler Lösungen zur Durchführung der Lehre im Distanzmodus war daher essenziell für die Bewältigung der Krise (vgl.…”

“…Digitale Unterrichtsformen werden mit höherem Aufwand für Lehrende (Horváth et al. 2021 , S. 9) sowie unvermeidbaren Qualitätsminderungen (Gurukkal 2020 , S. 93 f.) assoziiert. Allerdings wurde auch das prä-pandemische Präsenzuniversitätsmodell als unzureichend beurteilt (Eringfeld 2021 , S. 147).…”