The joy of teaching and learning in academia – teachers’ perspectives from three countries

Alina Georgeta Mag,Sandra Abegglen,Sandra Sinfield,Tom Burns,N.F Cofaru,M Inţă

doi:10.1051/matecconf/202134311007

Abstract

All over the world, the educational landscape has changed dramatically over the last year, impacting the way we teach and learn. It is time for reflecting and searching for new ways to support each other, during these pandemic times and beyond; time to co-construct creative partnerships and to innovate new ways to co-create. Change is an inevitable part of teaching and learning but the adaptations currently required are of unprecedented scale. How can we teach and learn with joy in today’s academia? How can we support each other, as teachers, in more creative ways? These two reflective questions were at the base of the study, which was conducted by university teachers from three countries: “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania; London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom; and University of Calgary, Canada. The methods used included interviews, focus groups and free writing with colleagues in each university. Findings revealed the challenges faced by each participant due to the emotional pressure caused in these supercomplex times, and the struggle to bring joy of teaching and learning in creative ways. This small ethnographic project reveals a need to shift our thinking about emotions and how we may facilitate the greatest success of all our students, by continually inventing new solutions and teaching with enthusiasm.

Highlights

The global crisis provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic, has impacted the academic environment rapidly, all over the world
University teachers are looking for new solutions to keep students active and motivated to learn, during pandemic times and beyond
Change has always been an inevitable part of teaching and learning, but how do we really feel about what is happening today? How can we teach with joy when the world we live in is very demanding? Colleagues from three different countries, Romania, United Kingdom and Canada, came together looking for a piece of hope in these challenging times, to co-construct creative partnerships and to innovate new ways to perform

Summary

Introduction

The global crisis provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic, has impacted the academic environment rapidly, all over the world. The way we teach and learn is challenged more than ever. University teachers are looking for new solutions to keep students active and motivated to learn, during pandemic times and beyond. We argue that it is time to reclaim joy in learning and teaching – and in our lives in general – because teaching can be tough and overwhelming without colleagues‟ support and understanding. Caring teachers endeavour to enrich academic education and students‟ lives, even as they embrace the virtual, adopting new ways of teaching and learning. “Joy in teaching provides the tools and resources to turn things around for educators, to make teaching a desirable and joy-filled experience”, that impacts students as well, through all their efforts of learning [1]

Methods

Results

Conclusion