Abstract
This chapter describes a collaborative action research project in which one post-secondary instructor used the experiences in her undergraduate teacher education course to learn how to best support students and peers in a health crisis and social justice uncertainty climate. The authors used empathy and care theories and universal design for learning (UDL) to plan, implement, and reflect on ways to empathize and show care for students in a course that was online due to COVID-19. Using the action research processes, the authors found five themes related to using UDL practices and showing empathy and caring. They conclude with recommendations for other instructors interested in supporting their students in online classes and in times of crisis.
At its heart, action research is a process of interrupting habitual practice by exploring and inspiring innovative alternatives with others most impacted by the choices being made and actions being taken (Bradbury et al., 2019).
TopIntroduction
In their editorial, Embury et al. (2020) call on action researchers to “… share the messy details of their often imperfect learning process so that others may see themselves in the processes” (p. 127). In this chapter, we describe the beginnings of our collaborative action research (AR) project, with all its messiness and imperfections, relating to how we collaborated to show empathy and caring, and use Universal Design Principles (UDL) within one virtual class during a global pandemic. The first element of imperfection was that we had envisioned this chapter to be about the undergraduate teacher education courses that all three of us were teaching; however, after receiving Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for this research project, the number of students who submitted a consent form to participate was not as high as we hoped. Therefore, we decided to focus on the course that had the most students consenting.
We used the steps of the two cycles of AR model (Ventura, 2018) as the framework for our project. One cycle in this model is related to problem-solving while the other concomitant cycle is research. The first steps in the problem-solving cycle are: (a) identifying the problem, (b) gathering information, and (c) planning interventions. Similarly, the first steps in the research cycle are: (a) selecting the research topics, (b) conducting a literature review, and (c) planning the research. The final steps for both cycles entail: (d) taking action, (e) implementing the action, (f) monitoring the problem-solving efficacy and the research interests, (g) evaluating, and (h) exiting if the problem and research goal are solved or amending the plan if it is not, then repeating parts of the cycle. Although these cycles are explained here as steps, which could imply a sequential process we, like other action researchers (Calhoun, 2019), frequently moved back to a previous step or forward to a later step as we went through the semester and this project. Due to the urgency of converting university courses from face-to-face (F2F) instruction to virtual to reduce the risks involved with COVID-19 and to our desire to “do what is right” by our students, especially in this stressful time, we operated within a very compressed timeline and might have overlapped and cycled back and forth through these steps more quickly or differently than might be done during a typical AR project.
Although there are a number of AR studies (Casselman, 2019; Enerio, 2020; Hendricks, 2009; Slapac & Navarro, 2011; Trout & Basford, 2016) on college classes, we focused this project on teaching and learning in virtual classes in a climate of uncertainty. In describing our AR, we embedded the theoretical frameworks, literature review, our teaching and research activities, methodology and research findings within the various steps of the AR cycles (Ventura, 2018). Then, we concluded with some recommendations for other instructors teaching virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic and afterwards. This book chapter is part of the last step in our current research cycle. Although the problem-solving and research goals have not been completely met because we are continuing this project this semester, we are reporting our preliminary findings from one semester.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Caring Relation: A three-part relation where someone cares for someone else, shows that caring through an action, and the cared-for recognizes the caring.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A framework of principles for creating lesson plans and curriculum that meets the needs of all learners. Like universal design in architecture, using UDL principles produces a flexible learning environment that helps everyone through three basic guidelines: providing multiple means of representing the content, providing multiple means for students to express what they learn, and focus on student engagement.
Empathy: The ability to understand what others are feeling and thinking by attempting to imagine their perceptions and experiences, feel for others in these situations, and effectively express this understanding.
Imagine Self (IS): Observers imagine how they would think or feel if they were in the situation of others. IS leads to a combination of empathetic emotions and self-oriented personal distress, which in turn may lead to self-centered motivation or false empathy.
Imagine Other (IO): Observers imagine how others perceive the situation they experienced and how they feel as a result of this situation. IO may lead to authentic empathetic emotions and potential altruistic behaviors.
Care Theory: A feminist-based theory about the ethics of caring, which takes a relational view of caring for others and teaching them to care.
Perspective Taking: Attempting to see things from other’s point of view by imagining others’ perspectives, thinking or feelings that are different from one’s own.