Today the education sector is going through what most commentators see as an unprecedented period of change. The assumption is that in the wake of COVID-19, many standard modes of teaching and learning have changed forever. In addition, despite the ‘strangeness’ of the change around us, some disciplines find themselves in unexpectedly familiar domains. The digital arts, media and communication studies are operating on platforms many see as natural. The proponents of distance learning are employing techniques they had been honing for years. Acolytes of educational technologies are perfecting platforms they have been developing for decades. The effect of the pandemic on our teaching and research then, is far from uniform or wholly negative.

Set in this context, this conference reminds us that, in addition to the pandemic, there are other issues at play for educators and researchers today. Asking us to take a step back from the flux we have been in recently, it invites us to discuss both the radical realignments that have been necessary in recent times, and those aspects of our pedagogy that have continued unaffected by remote teaching. Bringing both sides of this coin together, the intention is to better grasp the tenor of teaching and research in today’s changing, and increasingly hybrid, academy.

This conference seeks to explore the current state of teaching and research across a set of cognate fields, including 'Art and design'. The conference welcomes case studies; design proposals, research projects, investigative papers and theoretical considerations in various formats allowing people to write a paper, attend in person or present via film.

Deadline call for papers: 30 June 2021.