Rapid development of three Higher Education Professional Learning Networks in response to COVID-19: A case study

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic brought in-person teaching to an abrupt halt in March 2020 posing the problem of how to continue to deliver undergraduate courses remotely. This paper presents a detailed case study of three international online Higher Education (HE) teaching networks which formed to address the critical need to support laboratory-focused HE teaching staff in the UK and Australia. The study employed a sequential mixed methods design using a comprehensive online survey followed by structured discussions with network leads to rigorously examine implementation and participant experience. The findings show these networks successfully provided staff with a space for knowledge development, built confidence, supported collaboration and innovation, and reduced isolation. Multiple factors contributed to their success: COVID-19 created a common purpose; individuals prioritised engagement; and both participants and their contributions were welcomed. Hosting these networks online created an easily-accessed, cost-free means for participation fitted around competing commitments. However, emergent within the data is the suggestion that the expertise of teaching-focussed staff is being overlooked or underused by departments. The research found that the three networks fit the framework for Professional Learning Networks (PLN) and provide a useful template for a Higher Education PLN operating anywhere in the world.