Does the Familiarity of Online Teachers Matter During Covid Lockdowns?

Abstract

This is a retrospective study investigating students’ receptivity of familiar and unfamiliar instructors for the online learning solutions implemented during the initial Covid lockdowns in China in early 2020. While there are studies detailing various pedagogical and mental health issues associated with the pandemic, there are scarce information investigating how the choice of familiar teachers might help mitigate the associated negative experiences. Results from this study strongly suggest that students preferred watching teachers they knew as compared to strangers during the online learning sessions. In addition, the preference for familiar teachers correlated strongly with how the students felt online lessons had contributed to alleviating their negative feelings during the lockdown, which further suggests that the role familiar teachers play goes beyond that of an online instructor, especially in times of stress and uncertainties.