Abstract

This paper presents a reflexive dialogic collaborative auto ethnographic lifeography of the challenges facing a Business School during the Covid19 global pandemic. This lifeography is in the form of letters between a Head of School who coordinated the effort and a Digital Learning and Teaching Lead (DLTL) who have reacted, supported and designed strategic and operational practices in response to the challenges facing the School since the change to online delivery in March 2020. This has informed the transition to hybrid delivery in September 2020. These challenges have included; upskilling of digital skills for staff and learners; developing online delivery through instructional design; dealing with digital poverty, anxiety and apprehension; the diverse range of learner needs at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral stages; the support for commuter home students and international students. This reflexive conversation draws out the challenges from the perspective of a Head of School concerned with the wellbeing of staff and students and ensuring the consistency of experience for diverse groups of students, and a DLTL supporting this transition to hybrid delivery. This conversation also explored identity and pedagogy which informed the strategies and interventions used to support staff and learners within the School of Business and Management.