Barriers to teaching and research provision in the UK Higher Education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic

Kassem, R. and Mitsakis, F. ORCID: 0000-0001-8454-5777, 2023. Barriers to teaching and research provision in the UK Higher Education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. Higher Education Policy. ISSN 0952-8733

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Abstract

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to remote teaching in Higher Education (HE) institutions worldwide. While there is existing research on the advantages and disadvantages of online teaching from transactional and adult learning theory perspectives, there is a lack of investigation into the specific challenges faced by academics in the UK HE sector concerning their teaching and research during the pandemic. This paper aims to fill this research gap by examining the experiences of nearly 300 academics in the UK HE sector through a qualitative online questionnaire. The findings of this study reveal several challenges associated with the sudden shift to online teaching. These challenges include time constraints, a lack of digital skills, technology issues, and an increased teaching workload. Academics also encountered difficulties engaging and connecting with students, as remote teaching created a sense of detachment between them. This finding aligns with the theoretical propositions of the self-determination theory, particularly regarding the sense of relatedness. Remote teaching presented obstacles in gauging students' reactions and understanding, as it lacked interactivity, personalisation, and the ability to keep students motivated and engaged. Additionally, academics faced issues assessing online assignments and monitoring students' progress and development. The isolation from remote work further contributed to a lack of concentration in teaching and research. The study also highlights the significant increase in teaching loads experienced by academics, as they had to adapt their teaching materials to suit the new mode of delivery. Academic research was impeded by limited access to labs, equipment, research time, and support due to the demands of teaching. Field-based research was put on hold, and many academics found collaborating with colleagues without physical proximity challenging. Considering these challenges, the study proposes ideas for overcoming barriers in future crisis events. The findings have implications for research and policy, further discussed in the paper.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Higher Education Policy
Creators:	Kassem, R. and Mitsakis, F.
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan (part of Springer Nature)
Date:	16 December 2023
ISSN:	0952-8733
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1057/s41307-023-00333-0 DOI 1846440 Other
Rights:	This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Higher Education Policy. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Kassem, R., & Mitsakis, F. (2023). Barriers to teaching and research provision in the UK Higher Education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. Higher Education Policy, 10.1057/s41307-023-00333-0 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-023-00333-0
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	19 Dec 2023 09:43
Last Modified:	19 Dec 2023 09:43
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/50562

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