Tracing Changes in Student Perceptions of Effective Post-Secondary Teaching Before, During, and After COVID-19

• In Event: Teaching, Learning, and Pedagogy

Abstract

This study examines college students’ perceptions of effective teaching before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic in higher education context. Drawing on 14,056 undergraduate student reflections about instructors’ teaching from pre-pandemic (January 2018 to December 2019), during-pandemic (January 2020 to December 2021), and post-pandemic (January 2022 to December 2023) periods, we identified seven recurring themes that reflect instructors’ characteristics associated with their effective teaching. These include: personal support and empathy, engaging teaching style, challenging course content, relevance of content, organization of content, mentoring, and career guidance. Further, we identified instructor characteristics that persist as well as those that have emerged during the pandemic and endure post-pandemic. The significance of the study is discussed.

Authors

• Hyeyeon Lee, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Amanda L. Nolen, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Laura Carruth, Georgia Institute of Technology