Here to Stay After the Pandemic: Sentiment Analysis of Higher Education Teachers at UNAM

In order to continue teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers around the world were forced to move their courses online without prior notice, learn digital technologies quickly, and adapt their teaching practices to this new environment. In this research project, we analyzed 244 comments posted in a collaborative wall by teachers at a university regarding the changes that are here to stay. Using four artificial intelligence algorithms, we estimated and classified the sentiments and emotions expressed in the texts; we also identified the themes that were mentioned by teachers with a qualitative methodology, thematic analysis. Findings showed that positive and neutral feelings towards the changes prevailed among teachers, and that comments were centered on facts more than opinions. The predominant emotion was confidence, followed by anticipation, joy and sadness. It was also evident that they envision technological changes in their teaching practice, but that they are also considering an impact on their pedagogy as well as in their attitudes towards education and life, and in their relationships with students.