Prelims

Half Title Page

Building a Better Normal

Series Title Page

Great Debates in Higher Education is a series of short, accessible books addressing key challenges to and issues in Higher Education, on a national and international level. These books are research informed but debate driven. They are intended to be relevant to a broad spectrum of researchers, students and administrators in higher education, and are designed to help us unpick and assess the state of higher education systems, policies and social and economic impacts.

Title Page

Building a Better Normal

Visions of Schools of Education in a Post-Pandemic World

Edited by

Priya Goel

University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Jonathan Simmons

University of Connecticut, USA

Smridhi Marwah

University of Auckland, New Zealand

Together with

Lars Andersson

Lund University, Sweden

Sinikka Neuhaus

Lund University, Sweden

And

Marian Mahat

University of Melbourne, Australia

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL

First edition 2024

Editorial matter and selection © 2024 Priya Goel, Jonathan Simmons, Smridhi Marwah, Lars Andersson, Sinikka Neuhaus and Marian Mahat.

Individual chapters © 2024 The Authors.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

Reprints and permissions service

Contact: www.copyright.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters' suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-80455-413-5 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-410-4 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-412-8 (Epub)

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all of the educators across the globe who work tirelessly for the success of their students.

List of Figures and Tables

List of Contributors

Preface

Sinikka Neuhaus and Lars Andersson

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented challenges and changes in schools of education globally. Administrators, instructors and students were forced to create and quickly adapt to new modes of teaching and learning while navigating the complex and often-changing public health and safety guidelines and regulations. While we faced different circumstances across our institutional contexts, we collectively grappled with the challenge of flexibility, adaptability, technology-enhanced remote learning, and supporting our students. As we enter post-pandemic research, learning and teaching, we must reflect to reimagine. That is, we must consider the past and present to facilitate our reimagination of what schools of education can and should be in a better normal. Our reflections on our organisations, policies and practices can generate critical insights as we collectively tackle persisting issues of student well-being, educational equity, educational quality, technology use and more.

In the spring of 2020, the Universitas 21 (U21) Deans of Education group and the Forum for International Networking in Education (FINE) Leadership Team conceived of this book project to collectively reflect and reimagine learning, teaching and research in schools of education. This inspiration came from virtual meetings, from 2020 onwards, in which members of the Deans of Education group shared their ongoing experiences and challenges with navigating and managing learning, teaching and research during the pandemic. This book emphasises the possibilities and challenges we face in education in a post-pandemic era, driven by knowledge, skills, creative and critical thinking with technology as an accelerator for learning. Guided by late Professor David Clarke's legacy and his remarkable willingness to collaborate and engage in dialogue and our collective commitment to educational excellence and equity, we aim for this book to inspire reflection and reimagination among education scholars globally. In that spirit of reflection, collaboration and reimagination, we'd like to share a poem written by David Clarke that speaks to living joyfully in community.

Good morning all, here comes the sun.

Another day has now begun.

We are the gifts that we exchange.

Across the landscapes of our lives we range.

No need for fear, we are all here.

And gloriously evermore shall be.

In conversation you with me and we.

A joy to live, a joy to be,

Please celebrate without restraint,

We have no pretext for complaint.

–David Clarke, 22 November 2017