Sustaining teaching during a crisis What does it take?

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Published: Dec 16, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v24i4.35853
Keywords:
sustainable teaching, teaching during a crisis, faculty vitality
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Marcia D Dixson
Purdue University Fort Wayne
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6334-3690
Julie Saam
Indiana University Kokomo

Abstract

Given the increasing demands on faculty in higher education, it is imperative that we better understand how to support faculty across their careers and in all areas of faculty life.  This study looks specifically at what it takes to support teaching during the added stress of a global crisis.  An exploratory survey of 66 faculty at midwestern campuses indicates that Satisfaction with teaching as a career, Passion for teaching, and Quality of teaching require different things.  Specifically, Satisfaction with teaching requires motivation. Passion for teaching needs time. Quality of teaching, on the other hand, requires motivation, support, and time.  What these concepts consist of and how we might use this information to support our own and our colleagues’ teaching is discussed.

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How to Cite
Dixson, M. D., & Saam, J. (2024). Sustaining teaching during a crisis: What does it take?. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 24(4). https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v24i4.35853
Author Biography

Julie Saam, Indiana University Kokomo

As a native Hoosier, Dr. Julie Saam is proud of her degrees from only IU campuses. She received a BS in secondary education from IU Southeast, a MS in secondary education from IU Southeast, and a Ph.D. in Science Education from IU Bloomington. Before beginning her tenure track position at IU Kokomo, she taught for 1.5 years at the IUPU Columbus campus. She is currently an Associate professor in the School of Education teaching methods courses in science and mathematics education.

She thoroughly enjoys teaching undergraduates and graduates and has been awarded for her teaching with the Trustees Teaching Award, IU Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET), and the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching award. She has also been awarded a Mack Fellowship for her Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research and the P.A. Mack Distinguished Service to Teaching award. She devotes her service time to FACET, Mack Fellows, and as the Qualitative Research Editor for the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL). Her research endeavors are mostly qualitative in nature and investigate such topics as Simultaneous Cross Course teaching, Teacher Education Program Development, and University Faculty Development.

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