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Lauren Bullock, Ph.D. is a 2024 graduate of the PHD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

Lauren Bullock at her Dissertation Defense.

From L-R: Dr. Jon Wergin, Committee Chair, Dr. Kristan Cilente Skendall, Committee Member, Dr. Harriet Schwartz, Committee Member

Dissertation Committee

  • Jon Wergin, PhD, Committee Chair
  • Harriet Schwartz, PhD, Committee Member
  • Kristan Cilente Skendall, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

faculty-student interaction, student-faculty interaction, COVID-19 pandemic, pandemic pedagogy, coronavirus, disasters, remote teaching, sustainable remote teaching, online instruction, higher education, leadership

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

COVID-19 changed how faculty members approached teaching in higher education in the United States. This study specifically looks at the changes in faculty-student interaction (FSI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. While extensive literature exists on the topic from the student perspective, the disruption in education necessitated a more extensive study of the faculty perspective. A multiple-case study methodology was employed to explore the experiences of a small cohort of faculty members at a single institution and how they fostered positive interactions with students from Spring 2019 through Spring 2023. The data collected included semi-structured interviews, course syllabi, teaching philosophies, and a pre-interview questionnaire with demographic data. The findings revealed that faculty initially faced hurdles engaging with students but swiftly devised strategies to adapt. Their approaches primarily emerged from internet searches and conversations with other faculty in their communities of practice. Additionally, faculty members who taught prior to the pandemic used their prior teaching experience but also credited having access to course materials designed for online learning as a strategy for positive interaction. Finally, returning to in-person teaching with social restrictions presented significant challenges in comparison to teaching online. A key implication for practice is requiring faculty to teach asynchronous courses periodically to ensure familiarity with best practices for online learning and access to updated teaching materials. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Lauren Bullock

ORCID: #0000-0002-4813-1689

Lauren Bullock is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Temple University, where she teaches leadership and public relations courses. Before transitioning to full-time faculty, she led the university’s leadership development co-curricular programs from 2012-2018 within the Division of Student Affairs. Lauren returned to Temple in 2008 after working in athletic administration at Florida State University and the University of Texas at Austin.

Lauren's research interests include the faculty perspective of faculty-student interaction, age diversity and its impact on the workplace, podcasting in leadership education, and the leadership styles of sports coaches and professionals. She co-hosts The Leadership Educator Podcast, which focuses on having continuing conversations with leadership educators and professionals. Lauren is certified in the Inclusive Behavior Indicator Inventory and Clifton StrengthsFinder instrument.

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