The pandemic as a ‘revelatory crisis’: The experiences of international students during emergency remote teaching in a postcolonial context

Abstract

This paper critically examines the experiences of international students during the abrupt transition to emergency remote teaching in Portuguese higher education institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on 42 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions with international students from China, Brazil, Syria, and Portuguese-speaking African countries, and 15 interviews with institutional staff, the study explores the pedagogical and structural challenges faced during this crisis. Framed within critical pedagogical theories, particularly Paulo Freire’s and bell hooks’ concepts of engaged and care-informed pedagogy, the analysis reveals how emergency remote teaching exacerbated pre-existing inequities and deficit narratives surrounding international students. Findings highlight the persistence of transmissive teaching models, limited institutional preparedness, and discriminatory assumptions based on nationality, which collectively undermined inclusive learning environments. The pandemic is interpreted as a ‘revelatory crisis’ that exposed systemic failures in international student support and pedagogical adaptation. The study argues for a transformative shift towards ethically engaging pedagogies that recognise international students as equal co-contributors to the academic community. Recommendations are offered to reform institutional practices and teaching strategies in the post-pandemic landscape, emphasising the need for inclusive, dialogic, and diversity-sensitive approaches.