Cultivating a Pedagogy of Care: Adaptations to Writing Instruction and Course Structure During the Evolving Pandemic and Beyond

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of cultivating a pedagogy of care and strengthening community for all postsecondary courses, especially those employing the high-impact practice of teaching with writing. In this mixed methods study, we found that instructors of Writing Intensive courses at a Midwestern university (n = 79) made moderate changes to their overall course structure and writing assignments during the early stages of the pandemic (Spring 2020 through Spring 2021). Open-ended comments revealed instructors provided more instructional guidance with frequent low-stakes assignments, explicit directions, flexibility regarding how students achieved learning goals, and/or additional instructor feedback. A variety of resources informed these modifications, and resource use fluctuated throughout the pandemic. Instructors reported that most changes focused on cultivating a supportive and welcoming learning environment that continues to inform their post-pandemic instruction. Findings from this study highlight the importance of relationships and diverse sources of support for navigating current and future challenges in postsecondary instruction.