Resilience in Technical Education Beyond COVID-19: A Case of Instructional Change and Innovation at a Midwestern Technical College

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed teaching and learning in higher education. Technical education programs were particularly challenged by shifts to remote instruction considering their emphasis on hands-on, real-life application and experiences. While there have been developments regarding online learning in technical education, there remains little empirical work on technical education in remote environments, including the unexpected wave of adaptions and new approaches resulting from the pandemic. This qualitative case study explores pandemic-spurred change and innovation among educators in technical education and related impacts. Guided by pedagogical resilience and a case study of a midwestern technical college, findings reveal three broader themes: a catalyst to accelerate innovation, reimagining the (online) classroom, and innovation as a core disciplinary feature. This study provides critical insight into ongoing challenges and promising solutions for teaching and learning across technical education course, program, and learning modalities.