Virtual Class Management

Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia 48 Moika Embankment, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak locked down the university classrooms and transferred the teaching and learning activities to a virtual space. This paper discusses the challenges the teachers faced due to this dramatic transfer from habitual classrooms to virtual on-line classes. This small-scale empirical research focuses on two research questions: Which challenges and problems did the teachers face, which solutions did they find to overcome them? The study also investigates the techniques of synchronous on-line classes management employed by the teachers after the COVID-19 restrictions were imposed on traditional delivery modes in higher education. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 university teaching staff members who commenced giving online classes in March 2020. The research findings revealed that the main challenge for teachers was to find a learning platform providing videoconferencing tools, and the solutions were found basically through asking their colleagues for advice. The findings also identified one of the teachers’ concerns related to handling students’ misbehaviour during online classes, and a general need in developing teachers’ virtual class management skills.