Teaching Social Justice Online: College Teacher Experiences, Trends in Pedagogical Practices, and Recommendations

• In Event: Learning From COVID-19 About Remote Teaching and Beyond

Abstract

We surveyed college educators about their experiences teaching social justice (SJ) content online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported their feelings of self- and course- efficacy, pedagogical practices, challenges of teaching online, and beliefs about the relative effectiveness of online and in-person SJ instruction. The majority of participants felt confident teaching online and reported that their students met learning objectives. However, they reported reluctance to teach social justice in a virtual setting in the future. Building relationships with students and engaging them in vulnerable discussions were commonly reported challenges to teaching SJ online. Given the importance of dialogue and relationship-building to SJ pedagogies, this research emphasizes the importance of considering the social aspects of online SJ instruction in future research.

Authors

• Alicen Morley, Iowa State University

• Amanda R. Baker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Erin Doran, Iowa State University