Emergency remote teaching: capturing teacher experiences in Spain with SELFIE

Abstract

COVID-19 thrust teachers into emergency online pedagogy. Teachers had to rapidly digitize their practices. A week into compulsory online teaching, we captured a snapshot of teacher experiences to identify their impressions of support received and the challenges they faced in relation to teaching remotely. We conducted a survey study with primary and secondary school teachers in Spain. 67 teachers completed an adapted version of SELFIE to measure the way digital technologies are used for teaching. Respondents were directed to mark two responses to each survey item to reflect the situations both before and during the pandemic. Results indicate that during the pandemic teachers had more training opportunities, found online professional training to be of greater use, and gained confidence in using a wide variety of technologies for both teaching and communicating with parents and students. However, the digital divide among students and a lack of technical resources and support affected their abilities to carry out online education effectively. Our study highlights teachers’ perspectives on the rapid advancement of digital competences and technology in education. Information that can inform TEL research and interventions.