Abstract
The present article discusses the dynamics of system resilience, focusing on the case of a university college in Brazil. It investigates the experience of lecturers of this educational institution in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is exploratory basic qualitative research, aiming at understanding how the university college self-organized in this period. This research focused on local adaptation processes and was conducted through interviews with a sample of lecturers from the study programs offered by the university college. A text analysis software was used to analyze the data generated according to the three aspects of social-ecological resilience. The analytical framework of this research applies the concept of resilience in a socio-ecological system to discuss emergent organizational changes and learning in higher education. Systems resilience highlights adaptation processes characterized by an interplay of previous experience and emerging new knowledge. The findings describe the emergence of new practices and learning as faculty members encountered challenges brought on by the pandemic. Beyond learning new technological tools, the pandemic raised awareness of students’ socio-economic backgrounds in the context of inequality in Brazil. However, resilience requires open communication among staff and across organizational levels about adaptation processes that have taken place during the pandemic.
Highlights
The goal of the present article is to empirically describe the complex adaptive process of a higher education institution in Brazil in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
This study focuses on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education institutions and their responses
The overall goal of the present study is to explore the processes of local adaption in one higher education institution in Brazil in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
The goal of the present article is to empirically describe the complex adaptive process of a higher education institution in Brazil in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most countries have attempted to gradually reopen their educational institutions. In this context, the overall challenge can be defined as the need to prOVIDe quality education while observing public health policies. For Gupta et al [2], there are perceptions of mismatches between (i) available resources and previous experiences with remote teaching practices and technologies; and (ii) the need for online teaching/learning practices. The pandemic can be regarded as a major environmental disturbance for educational institutions, highlighting social inequalities and, in many cases, a lack of access to technological resources needed for remote learning
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
