UCLA

This dissertation examines the lessons of the emergency remote teaching experience during the COVID-19 pandemic within higher education. It considers the experiences of highly rated faculty members at a large public research university, identifying the challenges they faced during the transition to remote teaching, and the innovations they utilized during this period, with their ideas for the future of online learning and teaching. This study was primarily qualitative in nature, and heavily informed by a quantitative analysis of teaching evaluation data. The findings revealed that emergency remote teaching was the catalyst to a significant revitalization in pedagogical approaches for well-rated teachers among this study. Faculty members altered their teaching strategies by enhancing their course content, maintaining normalcy and organization,and employing student-centered strategies. These changes were driven by an ethic of care for students’ well-being, along with a strong commitment to ensuring educational quality. The study illustrates the successful integration of new teaching strategies and their potential for long-term retention within the future of higher education. Many faculty participants planned to retain some of the new pedagogical approaches they encountered within their remote journey in their future teaching, indicating a paradigm shift in teaching methods. This dissertation contributes to the growing body of research on the emergency remote learning environment and provides insights to educators and administrators in higher education on effective teaching within the growth of future online learning. It highlights the need for support, resources, and structures to help faculty improve in their teaching practices and the importance of considering faculty and student experiences within the ongoing development of online education.