Conditions and Determinants of Distance Education for Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Evaluation in the Kuyavia-Pomerania Region in Poland

Abstract

This research project is the first and only comprehensive regional study in Poland including all teachers and headteachers of primary and secondary schools. The aim of the study was to determine the factors influencing the learning process carried out remotely and to examine the potential of this form of education for primary and secondary school students and its future use to improve the quality and accessibility of education. An important aspect of this research was also the assessment of the respondents’ capabilities and competences in the area of operating and using digital tools in the educational process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 9070 teachers took part in this study. The method of data collection was an online survey. The research instrument consisted of a survey questionnaire. The survey was conducted electronically using tools provided by Google. The following methods were used to evaluate the data: count tables, which allowed for data exploration; a graphical method—cross-sectional analysis; and individual correlation analysis, which allowed for preliminary data evaluation. The results obtained within the research process conducted allowed us to achieve our goals. According to 42.4% of the teachers surveyed, remote learning is a good alternative to traditional teaching. The study also confirmed, inter alia, the presence of a correlation between technical conditions of classes and specific forms and levels of education, with 49.7% of respondents indicating that remote learning depends mainly on the quality of technical parameters, including a good or very good Internet connection. The biggest advantages of e-learning, as indicated by the respondents, were the possibility of working from home, conveniently sharing educational materials, and utilising additional teaching aids. Health issues and long times spent in front of the computer were highlighted as the greatest drawbacks of this teaching method. The results also showed that, as the age of the teachers increases, the acceptance and trust in distance learning activities increases while the fear of using this form of student learning decreases. This study lays the foundation for designing systemic, nationwide solutions, and thus, the authors are planning to continue their research in the context of comparative analysis of different regions and to analyse this process in the context of the entire country. The analyses performed form a part of a global line of research in the field of education and in the implementation of innovative tools and forms of education provision.

Implementation of a blended learning course for adult learners during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Collaboration skills, marked below average by Croatian, Latvian and Polish learners turned out to be the stumbling block. This coincides with findings of other studies (Puljak et al , 2020; Laganovska, 2021; Ružić-Baf et al , 2021; Zajdel et al , 2021), which conclude that the lack of social interaction, students’ personal contact with each other and with teachers prevents the development of team working skills.…”

“…Over the past two decades, thanks to technological advancements and the spread of the internet, new forms of learning have originated as alternatives to traditional face-to-face learning – e-learning, online learning, hybrid learning, blended learning (BL), ubiquitous learning (Boelens et al , 2017; Kucharska and Rostek, 2021; Moser et al , 2021). These have become even more popular due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed significant organizational and large-scale didactic challenges at all education levels (Zajdel et al , 2021), and the world had to switch to remote learning virtually in a day or two. Tomczyk (2021, p. 12) even called it “the largest unplanned pedagogical experiment in recent history”.…”

“…The experience accumulated by numerous countries so far testifies that online/blended learning will continue playing a significant role at all education levels in the future (Zajdel et al , 2021), especially in the adult education (AE) sector. Both, research conducted (Zajdel et al , 2021) and the amendments adopted to education legislation in many countries, confirm that successful “remote learning is not just a short-term solution but a valuable practice for providing qualitative education in the long term” (Baranova et al , 2021, p. 2). However, teaching/learning online may be successful only if all possible barriers (e.g.…”

Teachers at risk: Depressive symptoms, emotional intelligence, and burnout during COVID-19

“…Regarding the relationships between the PHQ9 and the burnout dimensions, significant and positive relationships were observed with Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Accomplishment (i.e., the higher the levels of this variable, the greater the depressive severity) and negative relationships with Depersonalization (the higher the levels of these variables, the lower the levels of depressive severity). Taking into account the above information and results, and with the assumption that work environment is one of the main factors to be taken into account for the development of psychologically healthier teachers ( 7 , 18 ), the promotion of teachers' wellbeing becomes a key factor for their own productivity and sustainability ( 3 ), helping to prevent pathologies like burnout and depressive symptoms associated with work and teaching environments ( 42 ). Much remains to be investigated and explored after a pandemic such as the one the whole world has experienced, although the efficacy of these protective factors has been extensively studied.…”

“…In addition, the education sector has traditionally been one of the most exposed to pathologies associated with the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to develop sustainable policies and work environments that provide wellbeing to teachers in different aspects ( 7 ), which would be reflected both in higher performance—even in borderline scenarios—, as in the case of job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic ( 3 , 24 , 25 ). It would also be reflected in the reduction of physical ailments such as sore throat or headache for which teachers are part of the vulnerable working population, as well as mental health problems ( 9 ) that can cause sick leave, disengagement and even absenteeism as some of its consequences ( 21 ).…”