Lecturers’ Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching for Sustainable University Goals in the New Normal

Abstract

The paper investigated lecturers’ transition from face-to-face to online teaching for sustainable university goals in the new normal. The problem of the study hinges on the fact that lecturers transition from face-to-face to online teaching will to a large extent determine the attainment of university goals the right or wrong perception of these lecturers about this change will affect the university system to a great extent. Three research questions were raised and three null hypotheses tested in the study. Design used in the study was descriptive survey. Population of the study comprised 3,806 academic staff while 350 respondents were sampled for the study using simple random sampling technique. Cochran’s sample size formula was used to determine the sample size of the study. Instrument used for data collection was a 15-items self-structured questionnaire tagged “Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching Questionnaire” (TFOTQ). The instrument was face and content validated by three Measurement and Evaluation experts from the University of Port Harcourt while the average reliability of the instrument was 0.81 using Cronbach alpha statistics. Out of the 350 copies of questionnaire administered, 328 copies which was 93.7% were retrieved. Research questions raised were answered using mean and standard deviation scores while the hypotheses were tested using z-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Result of the study showed a difference in their perception and skills possessed for online teaching but no difference in the challenges encountered. Adequate training was recommended for lecturers’ successful transition to online teaching in the new normal.