Spatial troubles with teaching under COVID-19

ABSTRACT

This essay explores the multifaceted underpinning that spaces provide to social affairs, in particular, educating. It does this by examining a particular episode, involving spaces of educating, that reveals this support through its undermining: the sudden rushes to home and online teaching that university instructors in the US underwent in the spring of 2020. Part one of the essay outlines a practice theoretical account of the spaces of social life according to which there are three principal spaces of sociality: material spaces, activity spatialities, and places. Part Two uses this account to diagnose spatial challenges that instructors faced that spring when they suddenly found themselves at home teaching. The contrast between what happened then and normal educating at universities makes clear just how crucial diverse spatial features of social life can be to the successful carrying on of education practices. The conclusion points out that this episode also affirms that one form of continuing education for educators is becoming conscious of, better appreciating, and acting on things they already know.

KEYWORDS:

• Social spaces
• social practices
• teaching under covid-19
• spatial problems

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 I would like to thank the three referees solicited by the Journal for their very helpful comments and observations on an earlier draft of this essay.