The period of mandatory on-line education in the spring of 2020

An overview of lecturers´ experiences

Abstract

This contribution to the “notes-from-the-field” section of the JPHE aims to outline the experiences of lecturers at the University of Borås, Sweden (here and after UB), who turned to on-line education as a response to the spread of Covid-19 during the 2020 spring semester.

To obtain a concise overview of lecturers’ reflections and experiences, an on-line survey was conducted between May 18 and May 31, 2020. A questionnaire consisting of 11 questions with multiple choice alternatives was used. Respondents were also encouraged to comment and develop their responses further, via email. Due to confidentiality, these comments are not explicitly reported in this text.

This text is not intended to present a deep analysis of events, nor an investigation into whatever theoretical framework one may find appropriate for this type of situation. Rather, our contribution alerts researchers in the field to a special situation many of us experienced, in order to provide opportunities to investigate pedagogical challenges in a time of distress, as well as stimulate further discussion about these matters