Impact of COVID-19: Case Study on Teachers’ Technology Use in Virtual Learning

Abstract

The COVID-19 global pandemic caused a sudden shift from in-person instruction to virtual learning for fifth-grade teachers and students in Title 1 elementary schools. Through professional development opportunities, fifth-grade teachers had to adjust instructional practices to facilitate virtual learning and adopt and embrace new teaching methods including technology. The most significant gap in the literature was student participation, preparedness, curriculum design, instruction, and the effectiveness of virtual learning were not fully understood. The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of fifth-grade teachers with virtual learning and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily instruction for students situated in Title 1 elementary schools in a large urban school district in North Carolina. In this qualitative case study, the target population was 135 fifth-grade teachers, from which 15 fifth-grade teachers were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection methods were a questionnaire and one-on-one in-depth interviews. Thematic coding was used for data analysis. Fifth-grade teachers transitioned from classroom instruction to virtual learning using technology and developed technical knowledge through professional development opportunities. Factors in the home environment and engagements in learning management systems (LMSs) influenced fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions of student performance, behavior, and attitudes. A comparative study in non-Title 1 schools and professional development opportunities on best practices in virtual learning is recommended for future research. Education leaders and policymakers can benefit from this research study as they learn about the potential risk of widening achievement gaps among students from high and low-performing groups.