Med distans till distansen – en introduktion till temat “Högre utbildning och coronapandemin”

Abstract

With distance from the distance - how can we interpret the changes that was so hastily imposed during the pandemic and what lessons have we learned? In this extended editorial, we highlight eight published contributions that are part of this Journal’s special theme regarding higher education and the corona pandemic. We also give our own reflections on how the transition to remote teaching affected higher education in Sweden, based on our roles as educational developers and researchers as well as literature. The publications in this journal show the diversity of experiences during the pandemic, and the complexity of drawing general conclusions about (distance) teaching and learning. Many teachers faced new challenges such as a significantly higher workload, and demands to implement quick solutions, while the changed conditions also gave opportunities for pedagogical development. Many students had difficulties in maintaining motivation and creating viable study routines, while some appreciated the flexibility of distance learning. The current editorial includes both retrospectives and outlooks on the consequences of the pandemic for higher education, as well as, suggestions for a few ‘questions’ that we think should be part of future research.