Instructional designers’ shifting thinking about supporting teaching during and post-COVID-19

Abstract

ABSTRACT The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic provided the opportunity for institutions of higher education to increase their use of online instructional delivery models and tools. Instructional designers played a role in supporting instructors to make this transition. This support included professional learning opportunities in the form of workshops and coaching. The purpose of this study was to investigate instructional designers’ shifting thinking about the professional learning experiences they are providing and will provide for instructors in institutions of higher education during the pandemic and beyond. Six instructional designers from four universities participated in two focus groups for this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The instructional designers in this study viewed professional learning during the pandemic as a time to address what they saw as persistent problems with online learning. Moreover, they indicated a willingness to engage in extended faculty development to explore mutually identified challenges with online teaching and learning in their contexts.