Training and Professional Development Needs

Since the initial ERT period, a lot has been learned about professional development needs. The study that we conducted in 2023 found that 56.4% of participants felt they needed help with online teaching. They mentioned wanting to get better with tools like learning management systems, creating tests that prevent cheating, and getting help from instructional designers. To help teachers prepare for emergencies, universities can offer training sessions. When COVID-19 started, teachers urgently needed training, and they still do today. Donham et al. (2022) emphasized the importance of providing strong support to enable instructors to maintain strong teaching, social, and cognitive presence.

Redstone and Luo (2021, para. 3) explained, “Prior to the pandemic, if a college or university’s culture had not widely promoted or supported online learning, the institution may not have been able to provide adequate opportunities for faculty professional development (PD) in online teaching.” By offering training to remain updated with emerging technology trends and newer pedagogical methodologies, colleges and universities can help their faculty effectively adapt.

Paradigm Shift in Teaching Methodologies

Although some educators shifted to a new way of teaching and learning after the COVID-19 emergency, we have found that some instructors have yearned to go back to the way it used to be. As we reflected on the ERT switch that occurred in March 2020 (Hodges et al., 2020), it was clear that educators were forced to shift their paradigms during this time; it was not a choice. After the initial ERT period, some faculty continued to use interactive virtual activities, asynchronous learning, and collaborative projects. Others still relied heavily on synchronous learning activities, using platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. Yet, some educators returned to their previous ways of teaching.

Research has shown that a low comfort or preparation level correlates with how prepared—or unprepared—faculty were for the demands of remote teaching. According to Blake et al. (2021, p. 18), “a majority of faculty in our study, including faculty who previously taught remotely, reported feeling unprepared to transition to ERT due to a lack of training in online pedagogy and low comfort with the technology required of ERT.” Watermeyer et al. (2021, p. 626) reported that 49.5% either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement “I feel prepared to deliver online learning, teaching and assessment.” Nevertheless, they were forced to accept the paradigm shift and taught in a way that was unconventional and uncomfortable in order to provide ongoing instruction.

In 2024, Hofer et al. conducted a study that expanded the view of faculty development focusing on formal learning experiences and faculty communities as pathways to transformative learning. We found that “the modular organization of instructors’ course content, offering a range of possible teaching strategies, and providing concrete tools for faculty to use to elicit student input on their experience were all instrumental to their success in responding to students’ needs and preferences in their instructional design” (Hofer et al., 2024, p. 84). In a 2022 study about building resilient communities, it was established that higher education can encourage “promising practices in pedagogy by focusing on the educator experiences that allow for meaningful academic careers and resources that help through challenges, while developing resilience in the face of academic stressors and competing pressures” (Williams et al., p. 15).

We have found that faculty want to be prepared for the next emergency. Hence, higher education institutions should provide them with the professional development resources that they need (Al-Naabi et al., 2021). We suggest professional development programs that incorporate social learning, practice-based approaches, and be contextualized to instructors’ everyday practices while allowing flexibility in participation and scheduling. Additionally, institutions can establish supportive policies, provide technical assistance, allocate resources, and encourage participation in professional development to enhance effectiveness during ERT contexts. Looking ahead, academic institutions should allocate efforts toward creative instructional approaches and innovative frameworks to remain timely and effective.

Institutional Support and Policies

Another issue that we witnessed is the inconsistency of institutional support and emergency planning policies. Immediately during and following the COVID-19 emergency, most higher education institutions developed and mandated institutional-wide instructional continuity plans (Hooker, 2020). An instructional continuity plan (ICP) is a framework that outlines guidelines for maintaining education continuity during emergencies. It provides faculty with instructions on handling disruptions, including technology platforms for remote learning, communication with instructors and administrators, and campus-wide information. ICPs were helpful for keeping students and faculty informed during this time period; students knew what to expect from professors if there was a need for a change in format or delivery, and faculty knew what was expected of them in terms of communication and planning. These plans should be an industry standard going forward in all areas of higher education.

We are certain that there will be another emergency (e.g., hurricane, snowstorm, protest, pandemic); and faculty should be ready to adapt immediately. “In the case of a prolonged global pandemic or crisis, the emergence of remote teaching will need to evolve beyond just ERT into what we suggest can be more accurately characterized as Sustained Remote Teaching (SRT)” (Stewart et al., 2022, p. 188). Independent study can be used for training purposes, but instructors “require institutional support, and specific training may go a long way to aid their professional development” (Hartle & Andreolli, 2023, p. 264). To ensure readiness for future remote teaching situations, we believe that universities should develop short- and long-term strategic plans that establish consistent technology-based remote learning protocols and policies.