Journal Article

What Matters is the Quality of Interactions: Redesigning Professor-Student Relationships in Post-Pandemic Higher Education

Soares-Zuin, Antônio A., Gomes, Luiz-Roberto, Rossi-Duci, Juliana, Hummrich, Merle, C. N. Lastória, Luiz-Antônio, G. V. de Carvalho, João-Mauroo, Jornitz, Sieglinde, Peres, Helga-Caroline, De Assis-Moura, Maria Silvia

2026

Overview

This cross-cultural study examines how Pedagogy students in Brazil and Germany perceived professor-student interactions during Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) caused by the pandemic. The analysis focuses on cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions. The research involved 108 Pedagogy students from Brazil and Germany, using mixed methods: a comparative quantitative survey and semi-structured interviews, analyzed through Objective Hermeneutics. Results revealed that ERT prompted shifts in pedagogical interactions, highlighting a horizontal teaching model where professors retain expertise while fostering knowledge co-construction. Empathy and flexibility were core competencies, recognized by 90% of Brazilian and 68% of German students. Synchronous interaction - virtual or face-to-face - proved relevant for learning effectiveness and student well-being. Technology enhanced relational learning without replacing human contact. These findings indicate that institutionalizing quality relational practices may enhance post-pandemic higher education. The study suggests implications for institutional culture, faculty development, and policy design regarding relational quality in contemporary higher education.