Pandemic pedagogy: Pausing to reflect on the educational fallout of COVID_19: Regenerating pedagogy collectively for a new tomorrow

The necessity of transitioning from face-to-face to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the teaching and learning practices across schools and educational institutions worldwide. Methods of teaching and assessment had to be revised and collaboration practices among educators, from mere corridor conversations to the joint lesson preparation and the sharing of resources were transformed. This shifted the teaching community into new landscapes that require educators and students to adapt and manage their expectations (Ahmed and Opoku 2021). It was an unplanned opportunity to transform pedagogical practices, but while those working in e-learning systems could transition to online learning spaces with ease, others took longer to adjust and access to technology for both students and educators was inequitable (Ogodo et al. 2021). This has led us to question the kind of qualities which are needed of teachers to address these challenges of pedagogy transformation, including non-cognitive ones like empathy and communication, organisation and planning, resilience and adaptability (Kim, Oxley and Asbury 2022). Caring for students’ wellbeing and dealing with uncertainty also proved to be crucial qualities a teacher should have, and these attributes link to the pedagogy of learning that teachers uphold as this takes into consideration learning theories and understandings of students’ learning needs, backgrounds and interests (Loughran 2006; Shulman 1987). Data from interviews and narratives contributed by a large number of educators spanning a variety of educational and geographical contexts have been analysed and cross referenced against a theoretical framework which explores transformative teaching and learning. The redefinition of teaching practices, roles and identities will be the research focus of this chapter and will help us evaluate how technology can act as a catalyst for change even beyond the pandemic.