Don't Throw Pedagogy Overboard in a Time of Crisis

My mother was a talented seamstress. She held contracts with various institutions, had a long list of clients, and also bragged about being part of the costume design team for the movie Papillon, which featured Steve McQueen. While she was talented, she did not possess the capacity to teach others as she did not have the appropriate methodology or resources to do so. My mother's situation highlights the necessity of a systematic approach for engaging her interns. A balanced, systematic approach would require the use of technology and consideration of contextualized teaching and learning theories. While my mother was not an academic, her case highlights the importance of pedagogy within today's context.

Therefore, as institutions begin to plan to deliver their courses online, it will be important that there is a balance between teaching and technology. In many cases, academics are often well equipped for their research role; however, many have had little to no formal preparation for online or remote teaching. The lack of formal preparation to teach online or remotely could lead instructors to adopt their own teaching style, which may include practices that may not be effective for their students' learning.

As institutions move their classes online, the use of technology should not be the only focus. Too often, the technology used to facilitate teaching and learning becomes the central point for discussion with limited or no consideration of teaching and learning theories or research-based practices. Consequently, this could impact students' achievement and experiences,  instructor's confidence, teaching quality, and so on. The reality is that if pedagogy is thrown 'overboard,' then the quality of teaching and learning also goes with it. Consequently, the application of pedagogy provides theories and research-based practice that will give instructors a treasured framework for teaching online or remotely. Instructors with an understanding of teaching and learning pedagogies will:

1.      Understand the teaching and learning process.

2.      Apply best practices for engaging students online or remotely.

3.      Be aware of the need for planning, development, delivery, and evaluation in the teaching and learning process.

4.      Deploy a variety of strategies for the assessment of students' learning.

5.      Use practical strategies to motivate, engage, and sustain students in the learning process.

6.      Critically evaluate the deployment of new and emerging technology for the enhancement of students' learning needs.

7.      Develop instructional materials and interactions that allow for inclusive teaching.

8.      Enhance their students' experience.

9.      Support students to achieve the learning outcomes of the course.

10.  Consistently reflect on practices to improve the quality of their teaching.

As you consider the use of technology, I urge everyone to deliberate on the points above. The reality is, we need to balance pedagogy with technology if we intend to have a quality learning environment. Finally, the acquisition of pedagogical knowledge will take time. Thus, it will be important that a quick fix approach is not applied.

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