Academic Interpersonal Relations during the Pandemic Remote Education in the Opinion of Academic Teachers

Abstract

Introduction: During the pandemic, all academic life shifted to the Internet. The education process and the related space for student–lecturer relations changed in March 2020 and then evolved during the pandemic. Research Aim: The article presents the results of triple questionnaire studies carried out after each semester of remote education at a pedagogical university among 178 academic teachers, concerning relations with students during distance learning and teaching. Method: The online diagnostic survey method was used. The analysis of data obtained from open-ended questions was qualitative. Results: The main categories revealed in the respondents’ statements were individualization, contact, communication, trust as well as didactics and exams. The respondents indicated relationships as an advantage of remote education, the lack of relationships as its disadvantage, described the relationships in the context of difficulties in implementing remote education, and raised the topic of relationships in the examination process. There is a significant change in the perception of these categories over time. Conclusions: A significant increase in the importance of relationships over time during the implementation of distance learning can be seen. In the era of the domination of remote education, it is impossible to stick to the traditional approach to building relationships based on the authority of the teacher’s knowledge and readiness to uncritically receive content from students.

Keywords

• interpersonal relations
• remote education
• academic lecturers
• higher education
• covid-19 pandemic