COVID-19 FORCED FACULTY TO MOVE FROM TEACHING FACE-TO-FACE TO ONLINE TEACHING FAST: WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO FACULTY AND STUDENTS?

Blaise J. Bergiel
Erich B. Bergiel
University of West Georgia

Bridget J. Bergiel
East Tennessee State University

ABSTRACT

For many faculty members of colleges and universities, the wake-up call came one week
in the third month of the 2020 spring semester. The colleges and university administration emailed
notices out that they were closing because of COVID-19. Therefore, all face-to-face classes would
go to online classes. Both colleges and universities and their faculty found themselves unprepared
to move from face-to-face courses to online courses over a weekend. Many faculty members did
not know if they would be capable of coping with the requirements or not. Because of the forced
transition, many faculty members were required to learn a new teaching skillset from face-to-face
to online. It was not easy, but most faculty members did adjust and, along the way, found the
advantages and disadvantages of online classes to both faculty and students. This study elaborates
on the advantages and disadvantages of online classes for both faculty and students.
Keywords: Online education, online classes, advantages, disadvantages, COVID-19 pandemic