Primary School Physical Education at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Could Online Teaching Undermine Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Work Engagement?

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate whether primary school classroom teachers reported changes in physical education teaching self-efficacy (SE-PE) and work engagement (WE) during the first COVID-19 wave. A total of 622 classroom teachers filled in an online questionnaire on SE-PE and WE, referring to before and during the lockdown, and on perceived digital competence. While controlling for perceived digital competence, a mixed between-within Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (RM-MANCOVA) was performed, using a factorial design with two time categories (before vs. during the lockdown) and three age categories (≤40 vs. 41–50 vs. ≥51 years). The RM-MANCOVA revealed that perceived digital competence significantly adjusted teachers’ SE-PE and WE values (p < 0.001). The analysis yielded a significant multivariate main effect by time (p < 0.001) and by time × age categories (p = 0.001). Follow-up univariate ANCOVA showed significant differences by time in teachers’ SE-PE (p < 0.001) and WE (p < 0.001), with a reduction in both values from before to during the lockdown. A Bonferroni post hoc pairwise comparison showed teachers’ SE-PE significantly decreased in all age categories (p < 0.001). The present findings confirm the importance of promoting SE-PE among primary school teachers, regardless of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers’ self-efficacy and WE are essential to master the challenges of PE teaching.

Work Values Predict Job Satisfaction among Chinese Teachers during COVID-19: The Mediation Role of Work Engagement

“…In line with the previous studies, male teachers' mean score of job satisfaction was still higher (M = 3.88, SD = 0.69) than female teachers' mean score (M = 3.79, SD = 0.68). However, the current results indicate a positive and insignificant correlation (r = 0.011, p > 0.01) between teachers' age and job satisfaction, while in the previous studies it was negative [5]. Teachers ≤ 15 years of age were still advantaged with job satisfaction (M = 3.89, SD = 0.62) compared to teachers > 15 years of age, and the correlation between teachers' experience and job satisfaction was unchanged, it was negative and insignificant (r = −0.002, p > 0.01).…”

“…In this case, teachers' level of work engagement in their workplace is determined by their work values. The results are in line with other studies, in Italy for example [5], which demonstrated the effect of work values on work engagement, adding that teachers' work engagement had a significant decrease after the lockdown. The correlation between work values and work engagement was also high (r = 0.499, p < 0.01).…”

“…Coming down to the outcome constructs, this study indicates lower job satisfaction among teachers during the pandemic compared to studies that focused on physicians' job satisfaction in United States [1], Korean employees [3], and even lower than other studies of Chinese teachers [7]. While the total mean score of teachers' job satisfaction in this study was 3.82 (SD = 0.69), some studies reported a mean score of ≥4.0 before the pandemic [4,5]. This study is in line with another study [7], which indicated almost the same mean score (M = 3.88, SD = 0.77) of teachers' job satisfaction in a Chinese context during the pandemic.…”

“…The pandemic has substantially disrupted education systems that have affected over 1.5 billion students worldwide [4]. In some countries, national examinations have been temporarily cancelled and face-to-face instructions ceased [5]. Concomitantly, teachers and students have been encouraged to follow the strict rules of physical distancing.…”

Primary school teachers' emotions, implicit beliefs, and self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…However, traditional teaching was often alternated with hybrid teaching, due to Covid infections forcing one or more pupils into quarantine periods. Teachers, students, and their families had to cope with a completely new situation ( 2 , 3 ), implementing new strategies, changing the processes of teaching-learning, communication, and emotional relationships with students ( 4 , 5 ). Primary school teachers faced many challenges when providing online and hybrid teaching, trying to quickly adapt their teaching to the contingent needs of distance or hybrid teaching.…”