Lessons from the Pandemic: Analyzing the Experience of Distant Learning in Secondary Schools

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions switched to distance learning in March 2020. The study focuses on how the sudden transition affected the level of teachers' anxiety and professional burnout. A total of 282 teachers from general education schools participated in the study. The results showed that the teachers successfully coped with the transition: the level of anxiety and burnout was similar to the results of previous studies of teachers before the pandemic. A significant role in the adaptation of teachers to the urgent transition to online education was played by their attitudes. In particular, those who adapted to the change and were able to get used to the distance format of work showed the lowest levels of anxiety compared with other groups who resisted the change and experienced difficulties. An important condition for successful distance learning, according to teachers, is the detailed regulation of infrastructural aspects of the educational process by the administration. The article discusses the next steps to improve the quality of distance learning based on experience.

1. Arendachuk I. V., Klenova M. A., Usova N. V. Kharakteristiki obrazovatel'no-razvivayushchei aktivnosti studentov v usloviyakh vynuzhdennoi samoizolyatsii [Features of Educational and Developmental Activity of Students Under Forced Self-Isolation] Psikhologicheskaya Nauka i Obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education. 2022. no. 2 (27). pp. 82–95. (In Russ).
2. Vodop'yanova N.E., Starchenkova E.S., Nasledov A.D. Standartizirovannyi oprosnik «Professional'noe vygoranie» dlya spetsialistov sotsionomicheskikh professii [Standardised questionnaire "Professional burnout" for professionals in the socio-nomic professions]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta [Bulletin of St. Petersburg University, Seriya 12. Psikhologiya. Sotsiologiya. Pedagogika]. 2013. no. 4. pp. 17—27. (In Russ).
3. Verchenko I. A. Vliyanie trevozhnosti na professional'noe vygoranie pedagogov [The impact of anxiety on teacher burnout] Mir nauki. Pedagogika i psikhologiya [World of Science. Pedagogy and Psychology]. 2021. no. 3 (9). p. 21. (In Russ).
4. Petrakova A.F., et al. Osobennosti psikhologicheskogo stressa u uchitelei v usloviyakh distantsionnogo prepodavaniya vo vremya pandemii COVID-19 [Peculiarities of psychological stress among teachers in distance learning settings during the covid-19 pandemic]. Voprosy Obrazovaniya. 2021. no. 1. pp. 93–114. (In Russ.).
5. Sorokova M. G. Elektronnyi kurs kak tsifrovoi obrazovatel'nyi resurs smeshannogo obucheniya v usloviyakh vysshego obrazovaniya [E-Course as Blended Learning Digital Educational Resource in University] Psikhologicheskaya Nauka i Obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education. 2020. no. 1 (25). pp. 36–50. (In Russ).
6. Sorokova M. G. Tsifrovaya obrazovatel'naya sreda universiteta: komu bolee komfortno v nei uchit'sya? [Digital Educational Environment in University: Who is More Comfortable Studying in It?] Psikhologicheskaya Nauka i Obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education. 2020. no. 2 (25). pp. 44–58. (In Russ).
7. Stepanova A. E., Poteryaeva E. L., Semenova V. N. Otsenka sostoyaniya psikhicheskogo zdorov'ya uchitelei [Mental health assessment of teachers]. Meditsina truda i ekologiya cheloveka [Occupational health and human ecology]. 2021. no. 4 (28). pp. 106-128. (In Russ).
8. Cherdyntseva E. V., Yakubenko O. V. Issledovanie dinamiki razvitiya kognitivnogo komponenta tsifrovoi kompetentnosti pedagogov v usloviyakh distantsionnogo obrazovaniya (na materiale Omska i Omskoi oblasti) [Research into the dynamics of development of the cognitive component of teachers' digital competence in distance education (based on Omsk and Omsk Oblast)]. Vestnik Omskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta. Gumanitarnye issledovaniya. [Omsk State University Bulletin. Social Science]. 2021. no. 31 (2). pp. 200–204. (In Russ).
9. Bers, M., Strawhacker A. and Sullivan A. The state of the field of computational thinking in early childhood education. OECD Education Working Papers. no. 274, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: 10.1787/3354387a-en.
10. Boyraz G., Legros D. N. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Traumatic Stress: Probable Risk Factors and Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Loss and Trauma. 2020. no. 6–7 (25). pp. 503–522. DOI:10.1080/15325024.2020.1763556
11. Carrillo C., Flores M. A. COVID-19 and teacher education: a literature review of online teaching and learning practices. European Journal of Teacher Education. 2020. no. 4 (43). pp. 466–487.
12. Chang C.-L., Fang M. E-Learning and Online Instructions of Higher Education during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) Epidemic // Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2020. No. 1 (1574). P. 012166.
13. Donker T. et al. Quick and easy self-rating of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Validity of the Dutch web-based GAD-7, GAD-2 and GAD-SI. Psychiatry Research. 2011. no. 1 (188). pp. 58–64.
14. Duffy B., Allington D. The accepting, the suffering and the resisting: the different reactions to life under lockdown 2020. URL: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/Coronavirus-in-the-UK-cluster-analysis.pdf (Accessed 02.08.2022)
15. Ferri F. et al. Distant Learning: Open Challenges and Evolution. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. 2018. no. 8 (17). pp. 78–88. DOI:10.26803/ijlter.17.8.5
16. García-Carmona M., Maríno M. D., Aguayo R. Burnout syndrome in secondary school teachers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Psychology of Education. 2019. no. 1 (22). pp. 189–208. DOI:10.1007/s11218-018-9471-9
17. Gegenfurtner A., Ebner C. Webinars in higher education and professional training: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Educational Research Review. 2019. no. (28). pp. 100293. DOI:10.1016/j.edurev.2019.100293
18. Herrador-Alcaide T.C., Hernández-Solís M., Hontoria J.F. Online Learning Tools in the Era of m-Learning: Utility and Attitudes in Accounting College Students. Sustainability. 2020. no. 12. p.5171. DOI:10.3390/su12125171
19. Kim H.-Y. Statistical notes for clinical researchers: assessing normal distribution (2) using skewness and kurtosis. Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics. 2013. no. 1 (38). p. 52.
20. Kim J., Jo I.-H., Park Y. Effects of learning analytics dashboard: analyzing the relations among dashboard utilization, satisfaction, and learning achievement. Asia Pacific Education Review. 2016. no. 17(1). pp.13-24.
21. Koutsimani P., Montgomery A., Georganta K. The Relationship Between Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis // Frontiers in Psychology. 2019. (10). p. 284. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00284
22. Löwe B. et al. Validation and Standardization of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) in the General Population. Medical Care. 2008. no. 3 (46). pp. 266–274.
23. Maslach C., Jackson S. E., Leiter M. P. Maslach Burnout Inventory: Third edition. In C. P. Zalaquett & R. J. Wood (Eds.). 1997. P. 191–218.
24. Quezada R.L., Talbot C., Quezada-Parker K.B. From Bricks and Mortar to Remote Teaching: A Teacher Education Program‘s Response to COVID-19. Journal of Education for Teaching. 2020. no. 4 (46). pp. 472–483.
25. Rehman U. et al. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Indians in Times of Covid-19 Lockdown. Community Mental Health Journal. 2021. no. 1 (57). pp. 42–48.
26. Rotstein S. et al. Psychiatrist burnout: a meta-analysis of Maslach Burnout Inventory means. Australasian Psychiatry. 2019. no. 3 (27). pp. 249–254. DOI: 10.1177/1039856219833800
27. Sangeeta, Tandon U. Factors influencing adoption of online teaching by school teachers: A study during COVID ‐19 pandemic // Journal of Public Affairs. 2021. No. 4 (21). DOI:10.1002/pa.2503
28. Sokal L., Trudel L.E., Babb J. Canadian teachers’ attitudes toward change, efficacy, and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic // International Journal of Educational Research Open. 2020. No. (1). DOI:10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100016
29. Spielberger C. D. State-trait anxiety inventory for adults. APA PsycTests. 1983. DOI:10.1037/t06496-0001983
30. Spitzer R. L. [и др.] A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The GAD-7// Archives of Internal Medicine. 2006. No. 10 (166). P. 1092.
31. Talidong K.J.B., Toquero C.M. D. Philippine Teachers’ Practices to Deal with Anxiety amid COVID-19. Journal of Loss and Trauma. 2020. no. 6–7 (25). pp. 573–579. DOI:10.1080/15325024.2020.1759225
32. Ward J.J.H. Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function. Journal of the American Statistical Association. 1963. no. 58 (301). pp. 236-244.
33. Zhang J., Zhao N., Kong Q.P. The Relationship Between Math Anxiety and Math Performance: A Meta-Analytic Investigation. Frontiers in Psychology. 2019. no. 10. p. 1613. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01613