Reconceptualising relatedness in education in ‘Distanced’ Times

ABSTRACT

As schools and universities worldwide tentatively move beyond an initial emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the prospect of socially-distanced learning spaces prompts us to ask how we can maintain good educational relationships. Supporting students in a time of far-reaching changes means acknowledging that certain normalised practices, and the conceptual frameworks embedded within them, have come under significant duress. Resisting the urge to rush to quick solutions and seeing our common vulnerability and uncertainty as an opportunity for growth, we, a multi-disciplinary teacher education faculty, chose to pause and use this moment of recalibration to develop a new set of orienting priorities for teacher educators. We reflect on dynamics of care, control and power inherent in educational relationships and demonstrate how relatedness in education expands beyond the human and the local towards fostering a common sense of global and ecological responsibility.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational relationships
• care
• interdisciplinary
• online teaching
• teacher education
• Covid-19

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the support of the Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Studies at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and Director of the Institute, Professor Daniel Carey. The conversations from which this paper developed were prompted by our participation in a series of webinars hosted by the Institute in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The series can be viewed at https://mooreinstitute.ie/research-group/moore-institute-covid-19-response-group/.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. A video of this webinar is available to view at https://mooreinstitute.ie/2020/05/01/video-of-covid-19-response-webinar-education-during-covid-19-precarity-privilege-purpose/

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Clíona Murray

Clíona Murray is a lecturer in sociology of education, sociolinguistics, and research methods. Her research and publications focus primarily on policy studies, inclusion and diversity in education, and narrative inquiry.

Manuela Heinz

Manuela Heinz is Director of Teaching and Learning and joint programme director of the Professional Master of Education. Previously a second-level teacher, she studied Linguistics (M.A.), International Politics (M.Sc.), Education (PhD) and Psychology of Counselling (Dip). Her research and publications focus on teacher education and teacher professional learning.

Ian Munday

Ian Munday is a Senior Lecturer in educational philosophy. His research focuses on the language of education, creativity and problem-solving. Ian is currently Convenor of the philosophy of education network at the European Conference on Educational research.

Elaine Keane

Elaine Keane is a Lecturer in Sociology of Education and Research Methods in the School of Education at the National University of Ireland, Galway, where she is also Director of Doctoral Studies. Her research and publications centre on widening participation and diversity in higher education, including in initial teacher education, and constructivist grounded theory.

Niamh Flynn

Niamh Flynn is an Educational Psychologist and lecturer in Educational Psychology at the School of Education in NUI Galway. Her research and practitioner interests centre on inclusive education, socio-emotional learning and well-being. She contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate ITE and CPD courses, and is also Director of the M.Ed. (Special and Inclusive Education) Programme.

Cornelia Connolly

Cornelia Connolly is a Lecturer at the School of Education, National University of Ireland Galway. In addition to a Ph.D. in pedagogical innovation, she holds a B.Eng. (Hons) in Computer Engineering and M.Eng. (Hons) through research. Her teaching and research interests centre principally on STEM education and design research.

Tony Hall

Tony Hall is Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of Education, NUI Galway. Previously a secondary teacher, he lectures across the teacher education discipline. Elected Fellow of the International Society for Design and Development in Education, and General Editor of Irish Educational Studies journal, Tony’s research focuses predominantly on design-based research.

Gerry MacRuairc

Gerry Mac Ruairc is an Established Professor of Education and Head of the School of Education at NUI Galway. He has published widely in the areas of leadership for inclusive schooling, language and social class, literacy as well as in the areas of leadership and school improvement for equity and social justice.