McLaughlin, Celeste and Saunders, Murray (2024) Exploring hybridity during a global pandemic: : A study of educators’ perceptions of hybrid teaching in a UK research intensive university. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.
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Abstract
This thesis captures educators' lived experience of teaching undergraduate students in one research intensive university in the United Kingdom during a time of uncertainty and rapid changes to pedagogical practices in response to the Covid-19 health pandemic. The research methodology was informed by phenomenography and data included semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation. Variations in educators’ perceived experiences of hybrid teaching during academic year 2020-21 were identified, as were some common characteristics. The findings were considered using a sociomaterial framework to make visible and challenge beliefs about teaching in bounded campus spaces. Findings were interpreted using a postdigital perspective to consider the intersection between digital technology, pedagogy and the social elements of education. They contribute to an emerging and valuable body of knowledge about teaching during times of crisis, uncertainty, and rapid change, to provide insights which will be useful to inform future periods of disruption and crisis in order to be better prepared. The research also provides insights into changing understandings of digital pedagogies by capturing nuanced and contextual understandings of changing teaching practices and some considerations about how these changes might inform teaching practices beyond the pandemic are offered.