Post-Pandemic Teaching: Balancing Motivation, Empathy and Rigor

Stephanie Jacobsen  

(Management & Marketing, Ricciardi College of Business, Bridgewater State University, USA)

Abstract: Teaching during the pandemic presented its own unique set of challenges for faculty. As we return to a more normal high educational environment, there are changes that still need to be made to adjust to post-pandemic teaching. This paper discusses three key aspects of teaching that need more consideration following the pandemic: motivation, rigor and empathy. Each one is discussed and strategies for applying them are described. Teaching in a post-pandemic world will require changes, just as adjusting to the pandemic did. Higher educational institutions need to ensure they are prepared for these changes and are not reverting to “life as normal,” as our students are no longer in the same place they were pre-pandemic.

Key words: pandemic teaching, post-pandemic teaching, empathy, motivation, rigor, teaching opportunities

JEL codes: I2