A Whole New World: Educators Transitioning to a New Paradigm – An Evaluative Case Study

Abstract

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic catapulted educators at the University of the West Indies (The UWI) into a world of virtual spaces and platforms. As a result, educators needed to acquire competence in the virtual classroom in a relatively short period of time. Consequently, training for the educator henceforth will have to include the acquisition of Virtual Classroom Educator Competence (VCEC). This paper shows the levels of VCEC at which four educators began and how, through experience, they attained higher levels of VCEC by the end of the semester. It documents their perceptions as they taught one course in a section of a department in the Faculty of Humanities and Education at The UWI, Mona and how they transitioned to teaching online through collaboration, problem-solving, and individualised training. It highlights challenges, solutions, and lessons learnt in the virtual classroom during that first semester of transition.