CHALLENGES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING ONLINE: LESSONS LEARNED, REFLECTIONS, AND STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science pivoted to online teaching and learning in March 2020, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were significant challenges: pedagogical, technological, logistical, and affective. I will use the example of a first year chemistry unit to illustrate how we addressed these challenges. We re-imagined interactive lectures, workshops, and tutorials for online implementation. Live and asynchronous approaches were used to facilitate and support student engagement with these activities. The hands-on nature of the degree presented specific challenges for the online delivery of the laboratory classes, which were addressed flexibly and adroitly through videos, animations, and data processing tasks. Assessments were re-conceptualised to balance three overarching goals: the evidence for the attainment of learning outcomes, academic integrity, and student well-being in the face of technical and personal challenges. The largest challenge for the online learning in the course designed for on-campus delivery was fashioning and maintaining a supportive relationship with and between students. To this end, we used a range of approaches, in particular we relied on small-group coaching – a mechanism established in 2018-2019 and adopted in 2020 in online format. This presentation will include perspectives from multiple stakeholders: students, teaching associates, teaching fellows, and academics.