Remote continuity of learning and the COVID-19 pandemic: educators self-perceptions of preparedness

Abstract

In February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended education systems as schools suspended in-person instruction and transitioned to remote learning to mitigate the spread of the disease within their communities. As school systems implemented remote learning, we sought to examine differences in teacher and educational leader self-perceptions of preparedness for remote continuity of learning and communicating with stakeholders, factors contributing to preparedness, and recommended needs in future educational leadership preparation. We used a survey design to complete this research by distributing the Self-perceptions of Preparedness for Remote Continuity of Learning Instrument (SPRCLI) © to a convenience sample of teachers and educational leaders enrolled in a graduate-level educational leadership program. Eighty teachers and 15 educational leaders completed the SPRCLI © survey. Analysis indicated differences in self-perceptions of preparedness to communicate with stakeholders with educational leaders demonstrating higher perceptions of communication preparedness. Contributing factors for preparedness for remote continuity of learning included colleagues, professional development, prior technology experience, and experiences with online learning. Participants recommended future educational leadership preparation include professional development and coursework on digital applications, best practices for remote learning, and development of school plans for remote continuity of learning. This study contributes to an understanding of teacher and educational leader preparedness for remote learning at the start of the COVID-19 crisis.