Embarking digital learning due to COVID-19: Are teachers ready?

Abstract

The COVID 19 pandemic insists schools to close and embark on the digital environment to keep learning to happen. Implementing this learning in educational settings faces challenges related to human resources and infrastructure issues particularly in developing countries. This study investigated the teachers’ readiness in conducting digital learning in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This exploratory study employed an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews via either voice calls or video calls to safely gather both quantitative and qualitative data from 62 teachers of 27 different schools in the middle of social distancing regulation in Yogyakarta. The study revealed that the majority of teachers were psychologically, technologically, and pedagogically ready to conduct digital learning. However, the digital learning problem was mostly coming from teachers who teach in rural areas. Students’ technology affordances mainly caused a disparity of digital learning success. The findings suggest that the choice of technology adoption and methodology adjustment can be viewed as a solution to the current digital learning problem. Finally, instead of the teachers’ readiness, the students’ readiness and teachers’ technological pedagogical knowledge are other key aspects of the digital learning success. Thus, these two issues are suggestive for further studies.

“We are still putting out fires”: Considering educator intentionality in remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Regardless of experience with digital modalities for teaching or a desire to move instruction online, educators around the world were forced to make a major shift in their instruction (Onyema et al, 2020 ). Similar to Aditya’s ( 2021 ) survey of 62 K-12 educators’ readiness to conduct digital learning in Indonesia, we found educators used both synchronous and asynchronous modalities of teaching online during emergency remote teaching. Figure 1 presents the types of digital tools that educators used during emergency remote teaching due to COVID-19 and their frequency of use.…”

“…Less frequently, the technological tool, group chat (32%) was used. Aditya ( 2021 ) reported that most educators in Indonesia used online discussion during emergency remote teaching, however, specific synchronous tools were not discussed. Similar to the asynchronous tools, these tools allowed educators to interact with their students as if they were in class together.…”

“…We cannot assume the response of educators during emergency remote teaching would be the same if using online distance education, an alternative and flexible option for learners (Bozkurt & Sharma, 2020 ). In some areas of the world, such as a study of 62 K-12 educators in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, teachers felt “psychologically, technologically, and pedagogically ready to conduct digital teaching and learning” (Aditya, 2021 , p. 104). Bozkurt and Sharma ( 2020 ) asked, “While we rush to implement emergency remote teaching, are we focusing enough on learners and learning?” (p. iii).…”

“…A disparity in the reported perception of educators’ preparedness for the shift to emergency remote teaching was illuminated in the literature. Aditya ( 2021 ) found that slightly more than 82% of their 62 K-12 educator participants in Indonesia, felt they had enough time to prepare their online learning materials. In contrast, Code et al ( 2020 ) found the following five disruptions or changes for K-12 educators in their study of 42 secondary technology education teachers: Curriculum-prescribed competencies are a casualty in pandemic-transformed pedagogy.…”

“…For many, these inequities have been compounded by the pandemic, despite early discussions that the pandemic would help “equalize” education. For example, students who relied on schools for food and shelter during the weekdays became a grave concern; also, inequitable access to technology resources in rural areas was illuminated (Aditya, 2021 ; Onyema et al, 2021 ); and UNESCO (n.d.) cited the following effects due to school closures: interrupted learning, nutrition, unequal access to digital learning portals, increased pressure on schools and school systems to remain open, and social isolation. Aguilera and Nightengale-Lee ( 2020 ) tasked educators and districts to take thoughtful steps to support all students during emergency remote teaching.…”