"...when all the ordinary divides and patterns are shattered, people step up to become their brother's keepers. And that purposefulness and connectedness bring joy even amidst...chaos" 

Solnit*

The Sociology Teaching Online Group (TOG) was formed in June 2020 at Newcastle University to support staff in the development of their teaching for delivery online during COVID-19. This was at a time of rapid reorganisation of teaching across the University with masses of frequently changing information being disseminated to staff, creating an unpredictable and volatile environment which was highly stressful. Having staff navigate this environment individually was an inefficient use of time and staff were in danger of being overwhelmed by the pace and scope of change. The TOG set out to ‘clear the path’ towards digital learning for all Sociology teaching colleagues and to put in place structures that would be self-directed, and peer supported. This website aims to show the novel collaborative approach used by TOG and the benefits it produced.

About this Website

This website was produced as part of a research project* which examined the effectiveness of the work of the TOG from the point of view of Newcastle University’s Sociology teaching staff. The research involved collecting data in interviews and focus groups with Sociology staff and students – analysis of this data is presented as the content of this website.

*Funded by Newcastle University’s School of Geography, Politics and Sociology Education Committee

Excerpt from Janice McLaughlin's (TOG member) Slack discussion from April 2020

* Rebecca Solnit (2010) 'A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster', p3