COVID-19 has produced pressures and demands on almost all professionals in our society. Teachers at all levels have been among the hardest hit by new expectations, and although much of the attention has been on PK–12 teachers, there is mounting evidence that higher education faculty members also are experiencing severe stress and almost unimaginable challenge as they work to address student needs in the COVID-19 era. We need to recognize and understand the severe stress placed on higher education faculty members and also recognize these faculty members for their innovative and compassionate reactions to the challenges created by COVID-19.
A recent study summarized in The Chronicle of Higher Education entitled “On the Verge of Burnout: COVID-19’s Impact on Faculty Well-Being and Career Plans” provides interesting insights on this issue. Knowing that most of our readers are higher education professionals, we choose to share some of the findings from this study. The link for this article is https://connect.chronicle.com/rs/931-EKA-218/images/Covid%26FacultyCareerPaths_Fidelity_ResearchBrief_v3%20%281%29.pdf
In order to better understand the experiences of higher education faculty during the COVID-19 era, The Chronicle of Higher Education conducted a survey of faculty members in October 2020, supported by Fidelity Investments. Data from the study included responses from 1122 faculty members from both four-year and two-year institutions. In addition, The Chronicle interviewed more than a dozen university leaders and faculty members.
The following are four core findings from this work:
The majority of higher education faculty members are experiencing elevated levels of frustration, anxiety, and stress.
More than two-thirds of survey respondents are struggling with increased workloads and a deterioration of work–life balance, with female faculty members and faculty members of color disproportionately affected.
More than half of all faculty members in the study were considering retiring or changing careers and leaving higher education, with tenured faculty members the most likely to retire or seek other employment.
Most faculty respondents in the study reported positive attitudes toward their institutions’ responses to the pandemic.
Even amid this challenge for higher education faculty, we can find positive trends that may predict a better future for higher education. The fact is that even in these challenging times, most faculty members surveyed in the Chronicle of Higher Education study indicated support for their colleges’ and universities’ policies approaches in addressing the COVID-19 situation. These data suggest that faculty members understand the challenges facing their institutions and are working to support the emerging needs of these institutions.
We know that faculty members have worked to learn to teach at a distance and to develop effective pedagogy to address the needs of distant learners. Faculty members also are spending untold hours working with students individually and supporting both the academic and personal needs of college students. Alarming statistics on the mental health of college students suggest the increasing need for faculty members to serve as counselors and supporters.
New demands for the teaching and service responsibilities of faculty are large and inevitably influence issues of work–life balance and adequate time for research agenda and responsibilities.
Many colleges and universities around the country are working to address the needs and concerns of higher education faculty members. Pausing the tenure clock for at least one year for nontenured faculty is one commonly used tool to help support faculty members, and an increasing number of higher education institutions are providing this option for faculty. In addition, it is imperative that faculty evaluation criteria be adjusted for the changing responsibilities of faculty members during COVID-19. Data suggest that women and faculty of color are disproportionally affected by the additional demands created by COVID-19, and this fact must be acknowledged and addressed.
Many of our readers are faculty members who have developed expertise in teaching and learning using technology, and many have worked to share this expertise with their colleagues during these challenging times. Although providing leadership for faculty members working to develop skills in creating learning environments online is admirable and necessary, it also provides one more stress on faculty members who are working to do this.
Taken together, the data on stress and burnout among faculty members demand the attention of colleges and universities, and the willingness of faculty members to meet the needs created by COVID-19 deserves attention and applause. In general, faculty members have risen to the new challenges and are most deserving of recognition for these efforts.
The articles in this issue of JDLTE include research-based recommendations for the use of technology to improve teacher education. The first article, titled “Preservice Teachers’ Use of a Translation App with Dual Language Learners,” explores preservice teachers’ use of a translation app with dual language learners (DLLs) and uses qualitative coding methods to reveal that preservice teachers primarily used the app to translate key vocabulary; positive changes were detected in DLLs’ engagement and behaviors when the app was used. The article titled “Online Instructional Experiences in an Uncharted Field—The Challenges of Student-Teachers of a Ghanaian College of Education Student” is a qualitative study that reveals that the basic infrastructure for online teaching and learning is absent. However, despite these challenges, a significant proportion of the participating student-teachers would still choose online learning for their work and professional development. Authors of the article titled “Synchronous Meetings, Community of Inquiry, COVID-19, and Online Graduate Teacher Education” conducted a mixed-methods self-study that explored advanced licensure candidates’ perceptions of developing a community of inquiry (COI). Survey analysis indicated that monthly synchronous meetings did not significantly impact students’ perceptions of the COI. The authors make broad and specific recommendations for better practices and future research for COI in online graduate teacher education coursework. In the article titled “Perceptions of Preparedness for Online Teaching due to the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Graduate of an Education Program at a University in the Midwest” examines how prepared the graduates of a teacher preparation program at a small private Midwestern university felt, through the education they received and the experiences they participated in as preservice teachers, to make the shift to emergency online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. Taken together, the articles in this issue of JDLTE contribute to our knowledge base about how best to prepare teachers in rapidly changing and uncertain times.