Navigating Educational Transformation: The Change of Engineering Pedagogy in the Wake of COVID-19

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien faced significant challenges in swiftly transitioning its traditionally technical-oriented academic programs to online teaching. With course materials that were not designed for e-learning and both, faculty staff and students, were unfamiliar with remote instruction and collaboration tools, a hybrid approach of self-study and guided teaching became imperative, necessitating innovative didactic strategies. Initially, faculty implemented ad hoc online teaching methods, resulting in a wide spectrum of outcomes. Subsequent surveys conducted in December 2020 and June 2021 provided crucial feedback for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of these approaches. The findings illuminated the constraints of traditional teaching in an online environment, except notably in computer science-related disciplines where pre-existing familiarity with online tools mitigated challenges. This paper describes the methodology and findings of the evaluation process, emphasizing the imperative for adaptable pedagogical approaches in navigating unforeseen disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly within the technical education landscape.