Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning in Portugal: Preschool to Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions

MDPI AG. Klybeckstrasse 64, 4057 Basel, Switzerland. Tel: e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.mdpi.com

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21

Foreign Countries; Distance Education; Online Courses; School Closing; COVID-19; Pandemics; Preservice Teachers; Student Attitudes; Barriers; Technological Literacy; Educational Technology; Technology Uses in Education; Preschool Teachers; Elementary School Teachers; Secondary School Teachers; Student Characteristics; Teaching Conditions; Time Management; Faculty Workload; Student Participation; Parent Role; Interpersonal Communication; Teaching Methods; Evaluation; Laboratories; Feedback (Response); Access to Computers; Student Needs

2227-7102

Emergency remote teaching and learning (ERTL) represent a critical and challenging time for teachers globally. To understand how Portuguese teachers interpreted their ERTL experiences of the first lockdown, we started by asking: What perspectives do teachers have about ERTL? Answering three open questions made available online between April and May of 2020, a sample of 305 preschool, basic, and secondary school teachers expressed their perspectives on: (1) difficulties throughout ERTL; (2) students' constraints in participating in ERTL; and (3) the potential and benefits resulting from this exceptional period. Data were analyzed using content analysis. While Portuguese teachers perceived ERTL with concern, a majority also saw it as an opportunity. Workload, work conditions, and time management were the most frequently mentioned difficulties. Regarding students' constraints, teachers emphasized participation, the role of parents, lack of contact, and autonomy. Despite the constraints and difficulties, teachers highlighted gains such as the development of digital competencies and the opportunity to transform teaching and learning. Only 18 teachers suggested there were no positive outcomes from this experience. Since this is an exploratory study, further studies are needed to triangulate the findings.

As Provided

2021

EJ1304182