Faculty experiences teaching in an MBA program in the context of COVID-19 a sensemaking approach

ABSTRACT

The Sensemaking framework is often utilized when disruptive events create ambiguity and force individuals to make sense of things differently, personally and professionally, by "structuring the unknown" (Waterman, 1990, p.41). By way of example, the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant disruptor to the education sector. Institutional decisions driven by the initial crisis kept daily functions and the educational process moving forward in 2020 by faculty members leveraging existing technology to continue teaching their students. The pandemic disrupted the daily routine of brick-and-mortar operations and many institutions' face-to-face delivery of academic content. The implications of the pandemic forced every faculty member to make sense of the health crisis in their own particular way based on their individual situation. Despite the disruptive jolt of the pandemic, it also provided faculty the opportunity for personal and professional growth as they reflected on themselves and the lessons they learned amid the pandemic.After several months of living in the experience of online learning and virtual engagement, faculty and students returned to brick-and-mortar institutions to resume their educational roles (Husserl, 1970). Questions regarding safety, responsibilities, lessons learned, innovation, and sustainability were top of mind as faculty members returned and shared the same space and place with their colleagues and students. As such, to capture the essence of the faculty's interpretation of their pandemic experience, Heidegger's (1962) phenomenological approach was employed to provide context and to help understand the faculty's personal experiences as they tried to reconcile their previous role of teaching and learning with their newfound utilization of technology in their courses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)