Abstract
Education systems around the world have closed schools in order to cope with the spread of
the COVID-19 pandemic. In this current mixed-method study, 181 elementary and secondary
school teachers in Israel completed online questionnaires to characterize their role in
designing, developing, and organizing learning materials that they used, and which medium
(asynchronous, synchronous, or blended - a combination of asynchronous and synchronous
modes) they primarily used in Emergency Remote Teaching, ERT. In addition, we conducted
semi-structured interviews with eleven ICT coordinators in order to explore their role in
effective ERT (219 statements). Findings indicated that about half of the elementary and
secondary school teachers used blended environments combining synchronous and
asynchronous communication channels. While Approximately 84% of teachers in the Arab
sector reported that they preferred to blended mediums as needed. Regarding the role of
teachers as designers, almost 90% of the teachers designed and/or adapted the ERT activities
by themselves. The role of coordinators during ERT was primarily to provide organizational,
technical, pedagogical, and emotional support to the school staff rather than to develop
learning materials. The implications for educational theory and practice are discussed.
the COVID-19 pandemic. In this current mixed-method study, 181 elementary and secondary
school teachers in Israel completed online questionnaires to characterize their role in
designing, developing, and organizing learning materials that they used, and which medium
(asynchronous, synchronous, or blended - a combination of asynchronous and synchronous
modes) they primarily used in Emergency Remote Teaching, ERT. In addition, we conducted
semi-structured interviews with eleven ICT coordinators in order to explore their role in
effective ERT (219 statements). Findings indicated that about half of the elementary and
secondary school teachers used blended environments combining synchronous and
asynchronous communication channels. While Approximately 84% of teachers in the Arab
sector reported that they preferred to blended mediums as needed. Regarding the role of
teachers as designers, almost 90% of the teachers designed and/or adapted the ERT activities
by themselves. The role of coordinators during ERT was primarily to provide organizational,
technical, pedagogical, and emotional support to the school staff rather than to develop
learning materials. The implications for educational theory and practice are discussed.
Translated title of the contribution | Teacher as a Designer, Coordinator as a Supporter: The Role of Teachers and ICT Coordinators in Emergency Remote Teaching, ERT, during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown |
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Original language | Hebrew |
Title of host publication | האדם הלומד בעידן הדיגיטלי: |
Subtitle of host publication | כנס צ'ייס השישה-עשר למחקרי טכנולוגיות למידה |
Editors | אינה בלאו, אבנר כספי, יורם עשת-אלקלעי, ניצה גרי, תרצה לוטרמן |
Place of Publication | רעננה |
Publisher | האוניברסיטה הפתוחה, מרכז המחקר לשילוב טכנולוגיות בהוראה ע"ש צ'ייס |
Pages | 61-68 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Volume | 16 |
State | Published - 2021 |
IHP publications
- IHP
- COVID-19 (Disease)
- COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
- Computer-assisted instruction
- Digital media
- Instructional and educational works
- Teachers