Crisis in the Classroom: Managing an Abrupt Digital Shift in a Higher Education Institution

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced higher educational institutions worldwide to unprecedentedly move all classes online and thus exposing significant gaps in digital preparedness, particularly in the context of developing countries where digital transformation was not anticipated. Set at a fictional public university in Pakistan, this case study examines how the sudden shift to remote teaching affected academic staff pedagogically and psychologically through the experience of Dr. Ahmad, a senior lecturer at Chambeli University.

As classes moved online with no preparation, limited digital infrastructure, and minimal institutional support, faculty members faced not only technical obstacles but also disruptions to familiar teaching practices, resulting in significant psychological distress. Dr. Ahmad’s experience within a “sink or swim” environment, including self-directed learning of conference call technology, reliance on peer support when institutional support was unavailable, and teaching to virtual classrooms with students’ cameras turned off, anchors the case narrative and invites broader consideration concerning crisis management, employee wellbeing, and institutional responsibility. The case study further invites readers to evaluate and suggest ways in which universities can develop more empathetic, coordinated, and sustainable responses to large-scale disruptions to class continuity.

Cover Photo: Maya Maceka on Unsplash