Résumé

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are responsible for imparting knowledge to the next generation of change-makers. While knowledge can be gleaned almost instantaneously from the Internet or an AI alternative, many students continue to choose HEIs to solidify and confirm their acquisition of specific skills and competencies. In the recent years, many HEIs have adapted their teaching and learning practices to embrace or at least accept technology in the classroom. With the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, more technology was hastily implemented and came without directions or, more appropriately, without pedagogical theory. While theories for using technology exist, the focus was on getting courses running rather than matching the theory or tool to the context. As HEIs have returned to campus, there is time for reflection on the choices that were made and the practices that should continue moving forward. This study focuses on the importance of linking theory to instructional practices in HEIs. We expand on teaching theories, learning theories, practical theories, dynamic theories, and even transformational theories. Our study is based on the development of a metro map of teaching and learning, that we created using the data of 4 surveys held at a Business School in Fribourg, Switzerland during the pandemic. This metro map was then used in a scholarly discussion at the SFDN conference (Swiss Faculty Development Network) in 2023, where we got first feedback of 12 faculty-members of HEI’s. This survey will be reconducted with all users of faculty training of the HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland). Until now, we found that many traditional theories can be named and may be implemented but need to be better aligned with actual practice. In the rush called emergency remote learning, faculty members were more interested in tools to use and tasks to do online; theory took a backseat to the daily needs of animating online classes. Back on campus, we continue using tools and creating tasks that lack the theoretical underpinnings. In this paper, we attempt to convince faculty members of the importance of theory for their teaching, student learning, and inclusion of technology moving forward. We offer an interactive map of theories where faculty members of all disciplines and schools can find their route toward lifelong teaching and learning. We can create the classrooms of the future with a foundation of theory, walls of traditional knowledge, and ever-expansive ceilings of possibilities.

Détails

Actions

PDF