Exploring Educational Planning, Teacher Beliefs, and Teacher Practices During the Pandemic: A Study of Science and Technology-Based Universities in China

With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, university teachers are coping with and adjusting to online teaching platforms. In this concurrent mixed-methods study, 10 science and technology universities as the research sites were first chosen, and educational planning in these sites during the pandemic was examined; then, eight selected teacher participants in these sites were interviewed to report how their beliefs and practices changed during the pandemic echoing the examined educational planning. The results show that educational planning and policies assisted teachers in accommodating the new demands and changes during the pandemic; teachers' beliefs and practices generally echoed the educational planning and policies, with certain tensions still existing. The discussion part of the study is centered around emergency remote teaching and planning, tensions between teacher beliefs and practices, and the shift from emergency remote teaching to regular, sustainable online schooling. The study provides administrators and teacher educators with insights on how emergency remote teaching can be planned and implemented during an unprecedented time.

Automated summary

This study investigates the educational planning and changes in teachers' beliefs and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in science and technology universities. The findings show that educational planning and policies have helped teachers adapt to new demands and changes, and there is generally alignment between teachers' beliefs and practices and the educational planning. However, tensions still exist. The discussion focuses on emergency remote teaching and planning, tensions between teacher beliefs and practices, and the transition from emergency remote teaching to regular, sustainable online schooling.