running head: effects remote teaching on tech use
TRANSCRIPT
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
Effects of COVID-19 Remote Teaching on Technology Use and Emotional Needs of Teachers
Widad Kinard & Frances Dendy Mahaffey
University of North Texas
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to transition from face-to-face instruction to remote
learning within a matter of days. Teachers were forced to use unfamiliar learning technology
tools and set up their classrooms from home. Although research has well-established the
importance of teacher support and training regarding the use of technology in education, there
has not been the same amount of research dealing specifically with teacher support and training
during such an unprecedented event. This study investigates K-12 teachers’ perceptions of how
the pandemic affected their use of learning technologies and their mental health. Results indicate
a vast majority of teachers experienced symptoms of stress and had various experiences with
learning technology tools, support, and preparation to conduct remote learning during the
pandemic. Implications for the future include the importance of support and training for teachers,
as well as addressing the social-emotional needs of both students and staff during crisis
situations. Suggestions for future studies are also discussed.
Keywords: COVID-19, learning technology, emergency remote learning, teacher
emotional needs, online instruction
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
The COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 brought daily news of increasing
numbers of the ill and dying, and conflicting information about the contagiousness of the disease
and the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE). Throughout the world, physicians
worked to stem the spread of the disease, citizens stayed home to help slow the spread, and
schools around the world closed. In order to save the school year for teaching and learning,
schools began implementing emergency remote learning as an attempt to continue instruction
while students were at home. This event changed the face of education and exposed both the
strengths and weaknesses of our education system’s ability to meet the instructional and social-
emotional needs of students and staff.
Literature Review
General Impact of Pandemic on Education and Education Technology
Even before the pandemic, a study by the Pew Research Center (Auxier & Anderson,
2020) found that 58% of 8th graders in the U.S. used the internet for homework either every day
or almost every day, but that 17% of teenagers reported that they were either often or sometimes
unable to complete homework due to lack of computer or internet connection. However, with the
closure of schools and the need for emergency remote teaching, technology became more
important than ever, and this homework gap may have been part of the reason 76% of lower
income families surveyed during the pandemic expressed that they were concerned or very
concerned about their children falling behind in school during the COVID-19 school closures
(Horowitz, 2020).
As schools closed due to the coronavirus, U.S. students faced a digital homework gap
(Auxier & Anderson, 2020; Horowitz, 2020). Schools and districts rushed to provide technology
tools for students (Lieberman, 2020). Education technology was on the rise before the pandemic,
and with 1.2 billion students in 186 countries affected by school closures, education technology
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
surged – including 200% rise in student accounts on the Think and Learn app and a market
projected to reach $350 billion by 2025 (Li & Lalani, 2020).
The rush to provide online options for education during the emergency school closures,
however, often resulted in hurried attempts to convert existing lessons into online versions, often
using synchronous video lectures (Lowenthal, Borup, West, & Archambault, 2020). This
haphazard transition of traditional lessons to online format, however, did not create “online
education” so much as “emergency remote teaching” (Hodges, Moore, Lockee, Trust, & Bond,
2020). Where true online education involves months of systematic instructional design and
integration of pedagogical decisions based on electronic communications and interaction,
emergency remote teaching consisted of focusing solely on essentials as a temporary shift of
instructional delivery. For those who are trained in online education, it is important to
acknowledge that the events and situations of the emergency school closures are NOT
synonymous with effective online instruction.
Technology Tools for Emergency Remote Learning
Empirical research shows the importance of strong home-school connection through
positive and consistent communication, yet few studies include the input of parents (Hutchison,
Paatsch, & Cloonan, 2020). One study which sought to explore parent-teacher partnership in the
digital age found that key barriers included unclear expectations regarding the purposes for
home-school communication and the place of technology in the process (Hutchison, Paatsch, &
Cloonan, 2020). During the emergency school closure, this issue became even more important,
with the consistent use of communication tools paramount – especially the use of tools familiar
to both teachers and parents (Mahaffey & Kinard, 2020).
Many university instructors, when faced with the immediate need to convert to remote
learning, elected to create a straight transition from face to face instruction to synchronous
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
videoconferencing, using tools such as Zoom. However, the overuse of such instructional
methods can have negative results such as over-reliance on lecture, distracted students, security
breaches (i.e., “Zoom-bombing”), and can leave participants feeling frustrated and drained
(Lowenthal, et al., 2020). Beyond the use of synchronous videoconferencing tools, such as Zoom
and Google Meet, asynchronous video tools such as EdConnect and FlipGrid can allow for easy
posting, inclusion of introverted students into class conversation, and increased flexibility
(Lowenthal, et al., 2020). For one undergraduate university class, weekly FlipGrid assignments
to post and respond to academic content resulted in the strengthening of both academic skills and
interpersonal relationships (Perez, 2020).
With the conversion to online learning, the adoption of Learning Management Systems
(LMS) was massively increased throughout education organizations, with Canvas, Brightspace,
Blackboard, Moodle, and Schoology reporting increases from between 60% - 2500% (Hill,
2020). One effective method to provide training and support instructors’ use of these tools was to
create a sandbox, or practice LMS, set up for teachers and pre-service teachers to gain familiarity
and comfort with using the technology (Ervin-Kassab, 2020).
Technology Preparation for Emergency Remote Learning
The move to an emergency remote learning situation during the pandemic of 2020 was
unprecedented and, for many, did not allow for preparation and training. One study of 325 K-12
educators found that 68% of teachers had never had experience with remote learning (Trust &
Whalen, 2020). As one educator described the chaotic transition:
Teachers went online, sometimes with little advanced notice (less than 24 hours here in
NYC) and frequently with little support. In some cases, they frantically gathered
materials as schools were closing and personally gave it to their students. Teachers
agonized about how to deal with students who had no computer equipment. They spent
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
days and weeks constructing new materials in new formats for online instruction. They
formed support groups, shared materials, created innovative approaches. And they
continue to spend vast amounts of time answering questions, working with students
individually or in groups, and communicating with parents. (Ewing, 2020, para 8)
This eloquent description of the frantic move toward technology-based learning highlights the
way the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent school closings called attention to the underlying
issue of teachers unprepared to teach with technology.
Lack of preparation for the technology use and teaching logistics of the emergency
remote learning situation may have a long-term negative effect. With such a negative first
experience with online learning, “some believe that the unplanned and rapid move to online
learning – with no training, insufficient bandwidth, and little preparation – will result in a poor
user experience that is unconducive to sustained growth” (Li & Lalani, 2020, para 9). However,
teachers are resilient. Even without the proper online teaching training and experience, teachers
during the pandemic were “both willing and able to cope as online practitioners”
(Gudmundsdottir & Hathaway, 2020, p. 243).
As educators transitioned from face to face learning to emergency remote learning, they
connected with one another through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter (Baker,
Lastrapes, Eubanks, & Willis, 2020). They created online communities to learn and to provide
each other with instructional technology support (Canipe & Bayford, 2020; Ewing, 2020). The
use of social media enabled teachers to share their experiences, strategies, and best practices with
one another (Baker, et al., 2020). It also provided a space for them to vent their frustrations and
stresses, which according to Hodges, Moore, Lockee, Trust, and Bond (2020), are sentiments
that teachers may experience during emergency remote learning.
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Even in the best of times, the use of technology in the classroom can cause teachers to
feel stressed (Al-Fudail & Mellar, 2008). According to Al-Fudail and Mellar (2008), teachers
need increased learning technology training and time to practice using the technology tools. The
findings from Francom’s study (2020) suggest that teachers need relevant, meaningful, on-
demand and on-going professional development. Knowing that teachers will face various
challenges when integrating learning technology tools into their lessons, they need time to plan,
prepare, and integrate learning technology tools into their lessons (Francom, 2020). According to
An and Reigeluth (2011), teachers have diverse learning technology needs. What works in one
classroom may not work in another; therefore, a “cookie cutter” approach to technology
integration may not be effective. These authors suggest that teachers need help and support with
understanding how to integrate and apply various learning technology tools into their subject
area.
Planning for emergency school closure requires schools to plan for the needs of their
students and their families For example, Mahaffey and Kinard (2020) suggest that districts
identify and document the academic, technology, and physical needs of the families and students
they serve. They suggest calling each family and having a conversation regarding their home
technology, the devices they use, and their internet connectivity. They also suggest asking
families to share any medical needs or concerns they may have. Having this information can help
schools make informed decisions on how to use their resources, identify the barriers that may
hinder students from learning, and provide families with specific resources and referrals that
align with their needs to help families overcome their hardships. Teachers can also combat
feelings of stress and frustration by being proactive and planning for future emergency school
closures.
Social-Emotional Needs in Emergency Remote Teaching
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
The COVID-19 pandemic transposed teachers’ priorities and the focus of teachers and
students was no longer learning (Hodges et al., 2020) but rather the social and emotional needs
of students. According to Gross (2020, June 09), some of these needs may be lack of basic
resources, personal coping skills, or internet access. Students’ safety and wellbeing took
precedence over learning, and teachers took on the role of social workers. Mahaffey and Kinard
(2020) proposed that teachers can meet their students’ lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs by providing consistent communication with both their students and their families.
Furthermore, having a direct line of communication with families can help teachers connect with
their students and be more cognizant of their needs.
Effects of stress and mental health of teachers during emergency teaching
The teaching profession is often very demanding. “Mounting accountability pressures,
ever-tightening budgets, and the challenges of larger and increasingly diverse classes have made
public school teaching one of the most stressful professions in the United States today” (Bottiani,
Duran, Pas, & Bradshaw, 2019, p. 36). The role of a teacher does not stop at being a content
expert. Teachers must also know how to teach so that their students can learn. Teachers often
face health risks and stress due to the psychological and emotional demands of their profession
(Guglielmi & Tatrow, 1998). For the proficient teacher, “emotion-regulation is part of teachers’
self-efficacy" (Smetackovaa, 2017, p. 2478).
During the world-wide emergency of COVID-19, teacher needs often extended strategies
and coping methods beyond the norm to help alleviate stress during emergency remote teaching.
Current studies indicate the notion that providing teachers with just-in-time support can improve
teaching and lessen teacher anxiety (Song et al., 2020; Glazer, Hannafin, & Song, 2005). In
addition, Fiorilli (2015), suggests that it is imperative to enhance the quality of support for
teachers to minimize teachers’ risk of burnout. Finally, Ho (2016), noted that “having a good
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
sense of humor boosts self-esteem and fosters social support, which in turn contributes to combat
burnout” (p. 55).
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted education systems around the world.
Understanding the instructional, technological, and social-emotional impact of emergency
remote learning is important to help teachers prepare for future school closures. However,
comprehensive research documenting this situation is not yet available. This study seeks to
capture information and data regarding teacher experiences during the school closures to
understand the current pandemic education situation and prepare for possible repeated
emergency school closures in the future.
Methodology
A mixed-methods approach was used in this study to collect both quantitative and
qualitative data. This method was deemed the most efficient way to address the research
questions, as it allowed for both the quantitative information regarding the types of instructional
methods and technology tools used by teachers, along with the qualitative information regarding
the perceived efficacy of said strategies and tools. The qualitative approach was especially
important to measure the levels of teacher stress. Applying both qualitative and quantitative
methods enabled the researchers to capture a more comprehensive picture of the situation.
This study explored how teachers delivered instruction using emergency remote teaching
and the effects it had on their emotional health, examining the stress and challenges teachers
faced with technology tools, training, and support needed to conduct online learning. Research
questions included:
• How prepared did teachers feel to conduct online learning during the COVID-19
pandemic?
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
• What technology tools were most beneficial to teachers during emergency remote
teaching?
• How were teachers being supported during the pandemic?
• How did remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic affect the stress and mental
health of teachers?
The study was approved and conducted following the University of North Texas
Institutional Review Board's ethical standards and the ethical standards laid down in the 1964
Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. All participants provided informed
consent/assent prior to their inclusion in the study by clicking a button selection to indicate their
consent.
Participants
Participants were recruited via Facebook, with a focus on posting the survey in Facebook
teacher groups. The groups targeted included The DFW Teachers’ Lounge, The Global Educator
Collective, The High School ELA Teacher Support Group, The Infused Classroom, The Middle
School Science Teachers, Teachers Helping Teachers, Teachers Using Google Suite for
Education, and Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Care was taken to select a
variety of groups to create a diversity of geographic location, technology proficiency, and
teaching situations.
The survey was administered to 439 K-12 teachers from a cross-section of states and
districts. Forty-two states were represented, with the largest percentage from Texas (16%) and
California (11%). However, there was less diversity regarding gender and ethnicity, as 98% of
the respondents were female, and 91% were white/Caucasian. Most respondents (86%) were
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
between the ages of 30 – 59. No compensation was offered for participation in this study. Table
1 provides a general overview of the demographic information of the participants.
Table 1
Participants’ Demographic Information
Demographic Information Category N %
Gender
Female 431 98.3
Male 8 1.7
Age
20-29 35 8
30-39 101 23
40-49 159 36
50-59 117 27
60 and older 27 6
Ethnicity
American Indian / Alaskan Native 1 0.2
Asian / Pacific Islander 7 1.6
Black / African American 8 1.8
Hispanic / Latino 27 6.2
White / Caucasian 379 86.3
Mixed 17 3.9
Grade Level
Grades PreK 6 1.4
Grades K-2 54 12.3
Grades 3-5 90 20.5
Multiple Grades Elementary 37 8.4
Grades 6-8 85 19.4
Multiple Grades Secondary 17 3.9
Grades 9-12 133 30.3
Multiple Grades
Elementary/Secondary 17 3.9
Teaching Experience
0 years 3 .7
1-2 years 16 3.6
3-5 years 49 11.2
6-10 years 66 15
11-15 years 77 17.5
16-20 years 86 19.6
21-25 years 70 15.9
26-30 years 45 10.3
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
More than 30 years 27 6.2
School
Public school 381 86.8
Charter school 18 4.1
Private school 40 9.1
Title I
Yes 234 53.3
No 205 46.7
Materials
An online survey (see Appendix 1) was created using Google Forms to ask teachers about
their experiences during emergency remote teaching. The survey questions compared teachers’
experiences before and during quarantine teaching to ascertain the effects on the school closure
situation on their instructional decisions, technology usage, and stress and mental health. The
informed consent document served as the first page of the Google Form, where participants
clicked a button to document their understanding and agreement before starting the survey.
The survey was comprised of the following eight sections:
1. Informed consent
2. Demographic information
3. Instruction / Technology models
4. Instruction / Technology support
5. Campus support
6. Parent relationships and communication
7. Teacher emotional needs
8. Comments
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The survey items were developed based on the findings of the literature review. After preparing
the survey questions, teachers carefully examined them, engaging through social media
platforms. The research literature on emergency remote teaching during a pandemic was limited
at the time of this study. However, there was extensive literature on the topics of effective
instructional strategies, teacher use of technology tools, and the effects of stress and emotional
health on teachers (Al-Fudail & Mellar, 2008).
Procedures
The authors posted a digital flyer from June through July 2020, with an embedded link to
the online survey on each Facebook page after receiving approval from the Facebook page's
administrator. Participants were then invited to take the 33-question survey. The survey
included: 12 demographic questions, 10 short answer questions, 7 Likert-scale questions, 2
select-all-that-apply questions, and 2 yes-or-no questions. Being cognizant of the time barriers
teachers face, the online survey was designed to take 15-20 minutes with the option to volunteer
for a possible follow-up video-recorded interview via Zoom at a later time.
Once the surveys were collected, the researchers “cleaned up” the data by removing some
inadvertent duplicate responses and incomplete surveys. Emails for the participants who
volunteered for the follow-up interview were then collected. They were chosen by the
researchers to create a heterogeneous group, including a range of ethnicities, years of experience,
and locations.
Four teachers from three different states participated in follow-up interviews, which are
summarized in Table 2. Permission was received from each participant before recording the
interview. Participants answered 7 questions (see Appendix 2) in the semi-structured interview
session. Each Zoom session lasted approximately 20 minutes and focused on issues related to
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
emergency remote teaching, stress encountered, and support needs during the pandemic. A
general overview of the demographic information of the participants is displayed in Table 2.
Table 2
Interviewee Information
Gender Age Grades Teaching Experience State
1 F 30-39 K-2 11-15 years California
2 F 40-49 6-8 16-20 years California
3 F 50-59 9-12 25-30 years Florida
4 F 50-59 9-12 More than 30 years Pennsylvania
The Google Form Survey response spreadsheet was used to calculate the numbers and
percentages for each multiple-choice response. Open-ended responses from the survey and the
interviews were coded. The codes were identified by tallying the number of responses, resulting
in the emergence of themes.
Results
This study surveyed 439 U.S. teachers from all fifty states to document their experiences
in delivering instruction using emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic of
2020, and the effects it had on their emotional health. The research questions were:
1. How prepared did teachers feel to conduct online learning during the COVID-19
pandemic?
2. What technology tools were most beneficial to teachers during emergency remote
teaching?
3. How were teachers being supported during the pandemic?
Commented [MF1]: Note: We have not yet finished conducting interviews, so there would be more in the final version of this table.
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
4. How did remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic affect the stress and mental
health of teachers?
A mixed-methods approach was used to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative
data regarding the types of instructional methods and technology tools used by teachers, along
with the perceived efficacy of said strategies and tools. The quantitative data were calculated to
show percentages of teachers responding to each answer choice for each survey question. The
qualitative approach was especially important to document specific examples of teachers’ lived
experiences and measure the effects of teacher stress. Teachers’ perceptions were gathered
through survey responses using Google Forms, with additional interviews conducted at a later
date. The results yielded some interesting findings.
Teacher Preparation
When asked how prepared teachers felt to conduct online learning during the COVID-19
pandemic, most teachers reported they were not prepared. Before the pandemic, 62% of teachers
surveyed had never used flipped instruction, 37% had never used online instruction, and 35%
had never used blended instruction. To compound the issue, 38% of schools did not offer any
technology training at the time of the school closure, leaving teachers to fend for themselves.
One teacher stated, “A group of teachers got together online and created virtual professional
development for peers. Nothing came from the district or administrators. We created a Google
Classroom and recorded videos for how to use various tools such as Google Meet, Google
Forms, CommonLit, and EdPuzzle.”
For the schools and districts that did provide teachers with technology training, the most-
referenced categories of training topics were Learning Management System (LMS) (62%), video
conferencing tools (41%), and video-creation tools (23%). Google Classroom, Seesaw, Canvas,
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
and Schoology were the most-cited LMS teachers reported using. To communicate with students,
the most popular video conferencing tool teachers learned to use was Zoom, followed by Google
Meet, with very few teachers reporting using Skype. Teachers also learned how to make and edit
videos using video-creation tools like Flipgrid and Screencastify. For some teachers, technology
training was helpful. For others, it was overwhelming. For example, one teacher commented,
“There were several things thrown out to us as available, but it was too overwhelming to look
into it all while also trying to set up plans and teach.”
For the most part, districts were reported to have provided devices and/or internet access
to teachers, with only 14% responding that nothing was provided to prepare them for emergency
remote learning. Three percent of teachers reported that their district provided them with district
paid hotspots and internet service, although 29% were provided with technology devices. It is
interesting to note that over half of the teachers surveyed (54%) reported that the district did not
provide new technology for emergency remote teaching, because the district had already
provided technology and nothing new was needed in order to transition to online instruction.
Technology Tools
To address the second research question, we asked participants to compare their usage of
different instructional technology tools before and during the pandemic. We then asked them to
provide a list of the technology tools they found most useful during emergency remote teaching.
In looking at various types of technology tools used in the classroom, more than half of the
teachers reported increased use of LMS, such as Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and
Seesaw; video conference tools, such as Zoom and Google Meet; instructional videos, such as
YouTube and Flipgrid; and student video response tools, such as Seesaw, YouTube, and
Flipgrid. The use of video conferencing showed the most significant growth, with 87% of
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
teachers reporting increased use of this tool for remote teaching. Just over half of the teachers
reported increased use of instructional video and LMS. The use of collaborative documents and
web-based skill practice programs, such as iStation, Reading Eggs, and Prodigy, were generally
reported to be used equally before and during remote teaching. See Table 3.
Table 3
Comparison of Technology Tools Before and During Pandemic
Technology Tool Did Not
Use
Used
more
before
Used equally
before and during
Used
more
during
Video Conference 10% 1% 1% 87%
Instructional Video 7% 5% 33% 56%
Learning Management System 10% 3% 33% 55%
Student Video Response 31% 5% 16% 48%
Web-based Skill Practice Programs 34% 8% 35% 23%
Collaborative Documents,
Presentations, and Spreadsheets 21% 20% 36% 23%
When specifically asked which technology tools were most helpful during quarantine teaching,
391 respondents provided examples. The most-cited examples of helpful technology tools were
Google Apps (56%), LMS (40%) and Video Conferencing apps (35%). The next five most-
referenced tools were all related to the use of video in instruction: Screencastify (16%), Flipgrid
(15%), Seesaw (13%), YouTube (12%), and EdPuzzle (9%).
Figure 1. Display of Most-Cited Examples of Helpful Technology
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% C
ited
Technology Tools
Figure 1. Of the 391 participants who provided examples of the most helpful technology tools for emergency remote teaching, the programs listed in the figure were the most commonly mentioned. Most participants gave more than one example, so percentages are not expected to add up to 100%. As shown, 56% of teachers who gave an example found Google Apps to be one of the most helpful tools.
Teacher Support
Given the unusual teaching circumstances teachers faced during the COVID-19
pandemic, this study attempted to ascertain the types of support most teachers received and the
efficacy of that support. When asked how teachers were being supported during the pandemic,
the survey revealed the top responses were technology devices and/or internet access (86%), and
training on the use of technology tools for remote teaching (65%).
Teachers were also asked to compare the support they received during pandemic teaching
from the campus and district specialists, the campus administrators, and the instructional and
information technology staff. Although many teachers reported utilizing new technologies during
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
the pandemic, very few received additional support. For example, 23% of teachers reported
receiving more support from instructional technology staff, and just about as many (22%)
reported receiving less support from them during this time.
Regarding support personnel, participants reported receiving equal support before and
during the pandemic from the technology and instructional technology staff (43%), the campus
administrators (54%), and the grade level and department teams (60%). Teachers reported a
sharp decline in support from campus and district instructional specialists, however. Fewer than
1% of teachers reported receiving more support from instructional specialists, including (but not
limited to) dyslexia, special education, gifted and talented, math, and reading interventionists. In
this case, 48% of teachers stated that they received more support before the pandemic, while
30% said they received an equal amount of support before and during emergency remote
teaching. One teacher claimed, “This was the most difficult for me because I did not know how
to accommodate for my special education student online.” See table 4.
Table 4
Comparison of Teacher Support Before and During Pandemic
Support Source
None
(before or
during)
Received
more before
Received
equally
before and
during
Received
more after
Technology / Instructional
Technology Staff 13% 22% 43% 23%
Grade Level / Department Team 7% 19% 60% 13%
Campus Administration 9% 29% 54% 8%
Campus / District Specialists
(Dyslexia, SPED, GT,
Math/Reading Interventionist)
19% 46% 31% 4%
Teacher Stress and Mental Health
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To address the last research question, we asked teachers to compare their stress levels
regarding specific issues before and during the pandemic and school closures. Most participants
felt increased stress in almost all categories, although some categories had noticeably higher
rates. Higher levels of stress were reported in the areas of community/world well-being (90%),
the uncertainty of the future (84%), students' well-being (83%), free-floating anxiety (73%)
work-related stress (64%), family well-being (56%), and personal health (56%). One teacher
reported, “I did not feel very supported by campus administration. They had NO CLUE what we
were going through. We were instructed to give our students so much grace and understanding,
but that meant we were working around the clock. Expectations were not clear.”
Despite the unexpected move to online teaching, our findings show technology was the
least stressful factor, with only 40% of respondents stating that they had more stress due to
technology during the pandemic and 22% reporting no change in technology stress level.
However, considering Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it may be that teachers, as well as students,
were focused on the lower levels during this time.
When asked to identify specific symptoms of stress or anxiety teachers experienced
during the time of emergency remote teaching, 96% described at least one characteristic of
stress, with just under 4% reporting no increase in distress. The symptoms most often reported
were feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused (83%), trouble sleeping or sleeping too
much (69%), depression or anxiety (62%), anger, irritability, or restlessness (60%), and racing
thoughts or constant worry (50%).
Discussion
The findings of this study represent K-12 teachers from 42 states and provide practical
insights into the experiences of teachers during the school closures of 2020 and how to support
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
K-12 teachers' remote teaching practices and mental health during a pandemic. Furthermore, they
have important implications for K-12 teacher preparation, use of technology tools, teacher
support, and teacher stress and mental health.
This study sought to identify how prepared teachers felt to conduct online learning when
schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, with a goal to identify
technology tools teachers felt were most beneficial during the emergency remote teaching. In
addition, the survey asked teachers to identify the ways they either felt supported or not, and the
effects of the situation on their personal stress and mental health.
Implications for Teacher Preparation
In March of 2020, schools closed with little warning, and many teachers and students left
for Spring Break without knowing that they would not be returning to class (Ewing, 2020).
These factors provide deep insight into teachers' perceptions and their lack of preparedness for
emergency remote teaching. Once districts and school administrators decided to close schools,
they had the power to make teachers feel more prepared. Yet many failed to do so, leaving
teachers to fend for themselves.
The transition to online learning meant that teachers needed to learn how to use web-
based tools quickly. One participant stated, “Teachers were forced to adjust with very little
resources, help or support. This increased the stress and potential risk of burn out in many of my
colleagues.” Initial analysis of the data found that 37% of teachers surveyed reported that they
had never used online instruction, and 65% of teachers surveyed reported that they received
some type of support from their district. However, 38% of those teachers reporting no prior
online teaching experience then received no professional development from their districts to
transition to online teaching, as only 62% of teachers without online teaching experience
Running Head: EFFECTS REMOTE TEACHING ON TECH USE & EMOTIONS NEEDS
received training through their school districts. It is important to note that district technology
trainers were as overwhelmed by the COVID-19 situation as teachers. These findings indicate
the need for differentiated professional development for technology training among teachers,
which supports the conclusions of An and Reigeluth (2011) regarding meeting the diverse
learning technology needs of teachers.
Implications for Technology Tools
Based on the selection of topics offered for training, the results revealed that, before
emergency remote teaching, district technology staff believed Learning Management System
(LMS), video conferencing tools, and video-creation tools would be the tools teachers would use
to conduct online learning. During the pandemic, teachers' use of LMS increased by 55%; the
use of video conferencing tools increased by 87%, and the use of instructional videos increased
by 56%. In line with the findings of Song et al., (2020) and Glazer, Hannafin, & Song (2005),
participants noted the value of quality training on these topics.
Implications for Teacher Support
The primary forms of support provided to teachers appear to be technology devices and
training on the use of technology tools for remote teaching. However, the assistance from
support personnel was much less prevalent and may have proved problematic for teachers
needing support with online instruction. The findings reveal that no significant change was
reported among teachers regarding the level of support they received before and during
emergency remote teaching from various faculty and staff members. The highest increase was in
the 23% of teachers reporting receiving additional support from instructional technology staff
during the pandemic, while 22% of teachers reported receiving less support from them during
this time. Although the use of technology increased heavily during emergency remote teaching,
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there was not a corresponding increase of support from technology specialists. This aligns with
Al-Fudail and Mellar’s study (2008), which concluded that it is advisable to provide more
support from instructional technology specialists.
Although most teachers surveyed received the same amount of support before and during
the pandemic from campus administrators and their grade level and department teams, there was
a sharp decline in support from campus and district instructional specialists. Fewer than 1% of
teachers reported receiving more support from instructional specialists, including (but not limited
to) dyslexia, special education, gifted and talented, math, and reading interventionists. In this
case, 48% of teachers stated that they received more support before the pandemic, while 30%
said they received an equal amount of support before and during emergency remote teaching.
This result is highly problematic, as the students served by these specialists are most in need of
educational intervention, and their teachers are often most in need of support to meet student
needs. These findings indicate an area of weakness that may hinder at-risk populations if
appropriate training and support for teachers are not addressed.
Implications for Teacher Stress and Mental Health
This study revealed that teachers’ mental health was profoundly affected by the stress of
the COVID-19 pandemic. Over half of the teachers surveyed indicated heightened levels of
stress regarding their health and safety. Teachers incurred a myriad of symptoms resulting from
the pressures placed on them by their communities, districts, school administrators, colleagues,
parents, and students. Most teachers reported feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused,
and said they had trouble sleeping or sleeping too much. Many teachers reported that they battled
depression or anxiety while about half said they were constantly worried and had racing
thoughts. Of those participants surveyed, 14% reported an increase in their use of drugs, alcohol,
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and/or cigarettes. The findings reveal that teachers were in distress during this time, which
affected not only teachers’ personal lives, but their effectiveness as educators.
The lack of support teachers received from their communities coupled with the
uncertainty of the pandemic ultimately affected how students were being served. One teacher
stated, "I just wish that parents, principals, and students realized that this was teachers' first time
to live through a pandemic too. We were not allowed to appear to be fazed by any of it. We were
not allowed to worry about our families' health nor our own children's education. It all just
seemed very 'business as usual,' though none of this business is usual." This study revealed that
teachers were profoundly affected by stress and/or mental health during the COVID-19
pandemic.
To compound the issue, teachers reported feeling stressed about their students' health and
safety. One teacher stated, "The stress of feeling like I'm not helping my students learn ate at me
constantly, knowing how little they were learning and how much of it was because I couldn't
adapt fast enough." Another teacher noted, "I saw a lot of teachers struggle during this time -
especially with their inability to reach all their students and provide the support that the students
needed. I also saw a lot of inequality in what teachers provided to students, which was really
frustrating as often those who needed the most got the least." Teachers comments focused on the
need for clear expectations regarding their duties, constant and open administrative
communication to address their questions, needs, and concerns, and easy access to support staff.
Structure and guidance for conducting online learning appears to be vital to teachers’ success and
well-being. This supports the findings of Fiorilli (2015), who described the importance of
enhancing the quality of support for teachers to minimize the risk of burnout.
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When asked about the best strategies to bolster teachers' mental health, diversions such as
exercise, gardening and other outdoor activities, and spending time connecting with family and
friends were said to be effective. Teachers also reported that mindfulness activities such as yoga
and meditation were helpful. One teacher interviewed for the survey noted that, in her district,
teachers were provided with a list of opportunities for incorporating mindfulness into their daily
routines, describing "webinars and some different Zoom sessions that were offered locally on
social-emotional learning for students. There was a Zoom session I was in on mindfulness. And
it was like a meditative thing. Even those were provided for us." Findings indicate that, for future
school emergencies, it would be beneficial for districts to address the social and emotional needs
of both staff and students.
Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research
The participation is this study was limited to K-12 teachers in the US, hence the findings
cannot be generalized to represent the global perspectives of K-12 teachers. Participants were
recruited through Facebook. As a result, this study may have not sampled teachers who do not
use the social media platform. Another limitation of this study that needs to be noted is that
teachers have varying familiarity and training with using learning technology. Teachers receive
various levels of training which may affect their perception of remote learning. Finally, having
only gathered the perception of K-12 teachers, this study did not explore the perspectives of
students, parents, and K-12 administrators, which may influence future policies and practice.
Future research should examine the efficacy of training in-service and pre-service
teachers for remote learning. This study suggested that many teachers do not have the
appropriate training and skills needed to transition to remote learning. Applying this
recommendation can help teacher preparation programs and school districts provide educators
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with quality training on designing and delivering remote instruction to meet the diverse needs of
their students.
Recommendations for future research include exploring the perspectives of various
groups within a school system, including campus administrators and campus and district
instructional specialists, regarding remote teaching during a pandemic. Following these
recommendations can gather multiple perspectives from a diverse group of faculty and staff. This
can help districts better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their school system. It will
also help them determine the technology devices needed and the appropriate training for
implementing various technology tools into their learning community. Finally, it will help
campus administrators identify best practices for teachers and develop an effective and inclusive
plan to meet students' academic needs during remote instruction.
Understanding how remote teaching effects students and parents will help educators plan,
design, and modify instruction to support students’ learning. We recommend conducting
ethnographic research to explore students' and parents' perceptions of remote learning during the
pandemic, especially in families that have students with special needs, accommodations, and
learning disabilities. Applying these recommendations can help educators identify and remove
barriers that hinder student learning and alleviate stress placed on families.
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures of 2020 were unprecedented
events in world history. Teachers found themselves on the edge of what was, to most of them,
uncharted territory of enforced online learning. Although there was little time to prepare in the
spring of 2020, educators can now reflect on the past in order to improve the future. Whether for
future pandemic scenarios, or for the implementation of online learning for its own sake, the
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issues concerning the needs of teachers engaged in online instruction will be an important
concern for the future.
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Appendix A
Effects of Remote Teaching Survey for Teachers
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Appendix B
Questions for Zoom Interview
1. Demographic data confirmation 2. How prepared did you feel to conduct online learning during emergency remote
teaching? Why?
a. What type of support has helped you? b. What might have helped you?
3. How has the stress of emergency remote teaching affected you? a. What type of support has helped you?
b. What might have helped you?