Professional and psychological precursors of instructional approaches used in distance learning during COVID-19

The current study addresses two antecedents that may serve to explain teachers’ online instructional practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: first, the professional aspect that deals with suitable training of teachers and school support for distance learning, and second, informed by the professional aspect, the personal (psychological) aspect that discusses the self-efficacy and attitudes of teachers toward distance learning. A mixed-methods design was employed by collecting data from 327 Israeli schoolteachers. A phenomenological paradigm was used to enrich the information from the point of view of teachers who experienced the transition to distance learning. The empirical model included three aspects connected to distance learning: the professional, personal (psychological), and pedagogical-practical. The professional level included training and school support for distance learning. The personal level referred to teachers’ perception of their efficacy to use technology for distance learning and their attitudes toward incorporating technology in teaching. The practical aspect comprised actual teaching methods that teachers used during distance learning. The results of the quantitative data analysis revealed that teachers’ perceived efficacy to deploy competency-based learning strategies exceeded their actual use of such activities during the crisis. In practice, they maintained classroom discipline rather than enhancing collaborative practices, according to their report. The current study indicates that teachers’ perceived ability to deploy distance learning activities might play a central role in explaining actual online instructional activities used during the crisis. This psychological aspect can be nurtured by appropriate professional training and technical and emotional support. Based on both quantitative and qualitative analyses, appropriate preparations are suggested to provide teachers with technical, pedagogical, and emotional support during times of crisis.