@article{33966632a0284285bf54dd4c3d43fca7,
title = "Affordances as experienced by university faculties during and after the sudden transition to online teaching",
abstract = "The ravaging effect of COVID-19 has been felt in all spheres of life. While countries are easing their restrictions, the remnants of COVID on education remain, with most universities formally embracing online teaching. Faculty have had to deal with this sudden and enduring transition to online teaching. Although some developments have been made with online education, enormous challenges are simultaneously reported in the literature. This mixed-method study aims to assess the essence of a faculty's bionetwork of lived experience after the sudden shift to online teaching due to the pandemic. Affordance theory was used as a theoretical lens to study the benefits, challenges, and opportunities associated with online education during and post-COVID. The study data comes from faculty members at one institution (n = 170) and follow-up interviews with a smaller subset of participants from the same pool (n = 10). Path analysis and mediation analysis revealed significant differences between the participants based on nationality and gender. While the findings supported two hypotheses, the third hypothesis was not supported. Overall, the findings showed both convergence and divergence between the qualitative and quantitative data. The study incorporates recommendations for online teaching, faculty well-being, and further research based on the results.",
keywords = "Affordance, COVID-19, Constraints, Faculty, Online teaching, Opportunities, Well-being",
author = "Najwa Alhosani and Negmeldin Alsheikh and Opoku, {Maxwell Peprah} and Rachel Takriti and Aljneibi, {Noof M.} and Hala Elhoweris and Garces-Bacsal, {Rhoda Myra}",
note = "Funding Information: Most countries, including the UAE, are still reeling over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several countries have adopted a cautionary approach to avert future system shutdowns. On the other hand, several countries have embraced online education as a mode of lesson delivery in the education system. While notable barriers were reported as present during the pandemic outbreak [37,38], the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed in the future still need to be explored. The present study has attempted to fill this scholarly gap by exploring faculty affordance in online teaching. The approach was to place the individual at the center and appreciate that environmental factors might impact teaching practices. Hypotheses I and II were supported by the study findings, with a relationship identified between the measures and a perceived benefit being the only predictor of social well-being. The results have shown that continual cognitive support and improved perception of online teaching are needed to promote effective online teaching in higher education in the UAE. Moreover, the most effective way to encourage faculty well-being is by exposing them to the benefits of online teaching. The qualitative data indicated that institutional support and adaptability are essential. However, there is a need for further discussion on how faculty could engage or enhance the participation of students during online education.The findings of this study may have implications for policymaking to enable effective online teaching in the UAE and other similar contexts. First, continual support of faculty during online teaching may be pivotal to effective teaching. This means developing an IT support system - technological assistance could help faculty teach effectively. It also means complementing social support through family and social networks that may further help faculty staff. Universities could develop a virtual program where faculty members would come online, “touch base,” and interact or share experiences. This would help facilitate their well-being and garner social support from peers. Second, tailored professional development for young and experienced faculty members may be necessary to promote effective teaching. Faculty members of all ages could be exposed to new inventions and online teaching methods. The training could focus on student engagement and participation during online education. Other training may center on how faculty staff could provide hands-on training to students during online education. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 UAE University",
year = "2023",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13159",
language = "English",
volume = "9",
journal = "Heliyon",
issn = "2405-8440",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
number = "2",
}