Head Above Water: A Study of K-12 Teachers' Perspectives on Emergency Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In March of 2020, school districts across the country shifted to emergency remote teaching in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, school districts that closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year are indefinitely continuing online instruction or incorporating a hybrid model for the 2020-2021 school year. Although scholarship exists with regard to the impact of school closures due to unexpected events such as natural, there is a need to understand how this pandemic has posed specific challenges and benefits for teachers. The purpose of this research is to examine K-12 teachers' perspectives about their experiences transitioning to emergency remote teaching as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The major findings show that teachers experienced greater flexibility with regard to content and elimination of state exams. However, teachers expressed that they faced significant challenges with regard to promoting student engagement, maintaining communication, and ensuring students had access to technology and tools for remote learning.