“Back to the Future:” A Qualitative Study of How Higher Education Faculty Navigated the Transition Back to the Classroom Following the Sudden Transition to All-Online Learning During the COVID Pandemic

The abrupt transition to all-online teaching and learning during the lengthy COVID pandemic and lockdown presented challenges for many higher education faculty members. While this sudden changeover continues to be studied in terms of its impacts, equal attention is warranted regarding the return to the traditional classroom. What were the biggest challenges faced by higher education faculty and their students both during the pandemic and regarding the return? How did students compare online learning during the pandemic to that of the traditional face-to-face classroom? What steps did faculty take to prepare their students for this return to maximize their safety and security in the learning process? We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 10 higher education faculty in a college of education to explore challenges and successes related to online teaching and learning and paving the way for a smooth transition back to the traditional classroom. Understanding these stressors, challenges, and successes will assist faculty and administrators with continuing to monitor for signs of student stress and facilitate their successful future learning in this “new status quo.”