Support for Academic Teachers in times of Covid-19

Abstract

This research uncovers what types of support are valuable for academic teachers in times of a rapid transition - also known as emergency remote teaching (ERT). Previous research has shown that faculties pay more attention to support their employees in their professional development - also referred to as faculty development. During Covid-19, teachers experienced a rapid transition from face-to-face to online teaching. In such an acutely changing context, literature states that teachers need support at the individual, group and university level. This research includes an exploratory case study, consisting of interviews with 12 academic teachers of Utrecht University and an additional focus group with four faculty developers. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically. From the results it becomes clear that academic teachers are in need of support in times of ERT. The most important types of support are organised activities, meetings with colleagues and one-on-one meetings, where the support of colleagues stands out. These outcomes suggest further research in this field, a more in-depth study, including other aspects related to the need for support from academic teachers. This could further indicate the relevance of support in crisis situations.