COVID Keepers: How the Pandemic Can (and Should) Transform College Teaching

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust higher education into the seemingly overnight shift to remote instruction. The drastic increase in online offerings expanded course accessibility in ways that we never imagined, especially for students with disabilities. As we continue to adapt and shift to more hybrid and in-person interactions, it is crucial that we reflect on the insights and lessons that we have learned during this era and examine what we should retain even after the pandemic has become endemic. This paper synthesizes the observations, pedagogical strategies, and perceptions of two associate professors at a mid-size, public university in the northeast United States who shifted from in-person, synchronous instruction (pre-COVID) to fully online, asynchronous formats in the 2020–2021 academic year. We explore lessons learned and offer suggestions for preserving the approaches that resulted in improved course accessibility and flexibility. What are our COVID keepers?