Introduction: COVID-19 and Emergency e-Learning in Political Science and International Relations

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated an integration of online learning into higher education that was well underway in political science before the virus struck. However, the swiftness of its arrival and the severity of its disruption prompted an abrupt and difficult conversion to digital education for which few instructors were adequately prepared. Indeed, the challenges we experienced in spring 2020 were not strictly a function of remote education—they were the result of emergency e-learning. Although academic programming in fall 2020 and beyond will benefit from extra time to prepare, new challenges and emergencies stemming from the pandemic’s many uncertainties likely will constrain higher education for the foreseeable future. To ease these transitions, this spotlight offers insights for political science educators from colleagues across the discipline.

Some of the most helpful guidance also comes from students. I administered a multi-wave survey to students to capture their views on e-learning in spring 2020. ¹ The first survey was distributed during the week of March 29, immediately on resumption of classes after spring break; the second was completed during the week of May 10, at the end of the term. More than 100 students completed each survey, and their comments are instructive. Figure 1 illustrates an average ranking of six important items related to online learning, in which higher averages indicate a greater priority. ² The data demonstrate that students this past spring were principally concerned about learning material and academic performance.

Figure 1 Student Priorities Before Online Transition

At the end of the term, students reflected on their emergency e-learning experience and again rank-ordered several items. This time, they indicated what made for a successful remote-learning experience. Figure 2 summarizes the average ranking of these four factors. By far, the feature most associated with a positive online experience was a good professor. Although a quality instructor certainly can condition the value of other features of an online course, the data underscore that it was the person—not the material or the technology—that made courses successful. When asked to elaborate, students indicated that their best professors communicated frequently, were easy to contact/access, maintained a clear and navigable learning-management system, and embraced flexibility as a core pedagogical tenet.

Figure 2 Most Important Features of a Successful Remote-Learning Experience

I also collected written feedback on how we can best meet student needs moving forward. Three main themes emerged, as follows:

• • Compassion: Many students referenced the challenging learning environment posed by the remote-learning transition. Some concerns were logistical: new work schedules or obligations made it impossible for them to “attend” class at the regularly scheduled period. Others were constrained by technical problems such as a poor Internet connection. Still others faced distractions at home that made it difficult to create a space conducive to learning. Consequently, students frequently expressed appreciation for faculty understanding their limitations and anxiety, and for adjusting course expectations accordingly. Flexibility is a critical part of successful emergency e-learning.

• • Communication: Professors earned high praise for committing to regular contact with students—both proactively and reactively. Students appreciated when instructors reached out to provide updates, course reminders, or even simply to say hello and ask how they were doing. Students also greatly value responsiveness. One individual noted that “if something was confusing, [students] were not able to raise our hand” as in a classroom. Therefore, responding quickly to inquiries is especially critical in an emergency e-learning setting.

• • Navigation: One of the most frequent references in student feedback was to our learning management system (i.e., Canvas). Approximately one of three students mentioned the platform in their responses. Students praised well-designed Canvas pages and lamented those that were not. One student summarized well the collective view when describing their top professors this past spring: “They were [the best] at remote teaching/instruction because everything on Canvas was organized very clearly and there was never anything that was due that I did not know about a very long time in advance. There were no surprises[,] which was also very helpful for my stress levels.”

Political science instructors should take comfort in knowing that these types of comments are consistent with much of the pre–COVID-19 literature on pedagogical practice. Indeed, the current research on distance education has long affirmed the value of faculty presence and building relationships. For instance, faculty who take time to build rapport with students can boost motivation (e.g., Dickinson 2017) and improve academic performance (e.g., Glazier 2016). Similarly, taking time to introduce students to online course technologies and navigation also promotes success (e.g., Taylor, Dunn, and Winn 2015). ³

Nevertheless, the immediate future poses unique challenges for our field. It is safe to assume that many of students’ academic priorities and concerns in fall 2020 and beyond are similar to those expressed last spring, and that some general best practices will be broadly applicable. However, it is equally important to recognize the vast array of contexts in which political science educators operate. After all, universities differ considerably, from the populations they serve to the severity of health threats in their locale. Consequently, although the pandemic disruption was universal, the transition to emergency e-learning took many forms, and instructors experienced and endured a wide variety of contingencies.

Disseminating these experiences enables us to learn from one another—to consider how circumstances our colleagues have faced may inform our own pedagogical strategies in the future. This spotlight convenes scholars from around the world to share their experiences and to recommend best practices following the tumultuous spring 2020 term. Topics range from overcoming administrative challenges to promoting online engagement. Our objective is to advance a dialogue within the political science community about how we can best proceed collectively during the pandemic and its aftermath, especially concerning the unique challenges we face in our field.

This spotlight convenes scholars from around the world to share their experiences and to recommend best practices following the tumultuous spring 2020 term.

Of course, no single discussion can speak to every concern or challenge that educators will face in a discipline as diverse as ours. Additional avenues of inquiry will emerge as classes resume; indeed, we close this spotlight with recommendations for additional scholarship on this topic. Emergency e-learning is distinct in many ways from traditional online coursework; in this way, it is new for all of us, as well. However, this assembly of scholars thoughtfully reflects on many of the key challenges that instructors of political science and international relations face moving forward, and their commentary can inform important discussions within departments and across universities. It is our sincerest hope that this spotlight contributes to a wider conversation about how we can best serve students throughout this pandemic and in the years to come.