“Making Face-to-Face Matter Again: The LAVIDA Teaching and Learning Framework.”

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted established pedagogic routines and challenged assumptions about the purpose of face-to-face learning in higher education. As teaching moved online, notions of engagement, belonging, and attendance were re-examined. When universities reopened, students’ expectations of flexibility persisted, requiring educators to reconsider how classroom participation could remain meaningful. This reflective paper introduces the LAVIDA Teaching and Learning Framework (LAVIDA TLF), a structured yet adaptable model developed to support autonomy, belonging, and purposeful participation in post-pandemic teaching. The framework comprises five iterative stages - LAV (Literature, Audio, Visual), followed by the in-class stages; Introduce, Deepen, Apply, and Create & Capture.

Drawing on Ryan and Deci’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT), aligning with principles associated with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2018), and informed by Biesta’s (2013) conception of teaching as relational and intentional, LAVIDA positions educator expertise and learner autonomy in dynamic balance through deliberate shifts in pedagogic control across a structured learning cycle. Early reflections suggest that providing students with choice in preparation, structured dialogue, applied learning activities, and planned consolidation enhances engagement and belonging while maintaining academic rigour. The framework demonstrates how post-pandemic pedagogy can preserve flexibility and inclusion without diminishing the central role of teaching. Designed for adaptation across disciplines and wider educational or professional learning contexts, LAVIDA TLF offers a conceptual model and practical guide for educators seeking to sustain motivation and participation in face-to-face, blended, or online learning environments.