Academics’ Narratives of Productive Learning Cultures During COVID-19 Emergency Remote Teaching in Australia

Abstract

This research applies sociocultural learning theory to describe the learning cultures that academics at a small Australian university cultivated during synchronous emergency remote teaching (ERT) at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to understand how academics fostered learning when thrust into a new technological environment that required them to revise face-to-face teaching approaches while managing students’ stress, anxiety, and expectations. The research combined a focus group with three small-group interviews. While the prospect of ERT initially concerned many participants, it generated growth in their teaching knowledge and ability. Our findings indicate that the assumptions of sociocultural learning theory provide helpful bases and practical ideas upon which academics can plan and deliver teaching to cultivate productive learning cultures during crises that require remote teaching.