A chapter by Kaushik Dutta, M.S., teaching professor within the University of New England College of Arts and Sciences, will appear in a forthcoming book on the ways in which teaching pedagogy has evolved as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The book, "Academic Voices: A Conversation on New Approaches to Teaching and Learning in the post-COVID World," discusses the creative adoption of technology to support online teaching, learning, and assessment during the pandemic. According to the publisher, Elsevier, the publication provides critical information on an area that needs particular attention given the rapid introduction of and immersion into digital technologies that took place during the pandemic, including quality assurance and assessment.
Dutta's chapter, "Pandemic-proof teaching: Blended learning infrastructure to support pivot to online/hybrid pedagogy," focuses on an innovative, blended learning model in an undergraduate anatomy and physiology course and the impact of this pedagogy during the transition to remote teaching due to COVID-19.
The case study involves a multi-year, pre-pandemic implementation aimed at improving student preparedness, engagement, and retention through a variety of online tools, including adaptive learning activities, interactive homework, and formative assessments. Courseware analytics on student performance and student survey data provided a valuable feedback loop throughout the implementation and course restructuring process, Dutta said.
The use of a blended learning curriculum in the laboratory as an innovative reform to the traditional lab was also discussed in the chapter.
Dutta explained that the model has yielded a progressive and sustained improvement in learning, accompanied by an overall decrease in attrition. Results also suggest that the pedagogical foundation based on blended learning provided the flexibility to transition to remote and hybrid instruction, allowing students to succeed during the pandemic.
"I am looking forward to the worldwide release of this book by Elsevier publishing house," Dutta remarked.
"Academic Voices," published by Elsevier, is available for pre-order and will be released on April 1, 2022.
