LEARNING LOSS FROM COVID-19 EDUCATION POLICIES: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF TEACHERS IN THE UAE

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupted the way people live. The education sector was particularly impacted, with school closures and a shift to online teaching having a detrimental impact on learning for many students. This learning loss will continue to pose difficulties for students and teachers in the coming years, and traditional intervention methods may have limited effectiveness. This study explored the challenges of online teaching among 26 school teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings from quantitative data gathered through questionnaires showed that the main challenges faced by teachers included lack of readiness, lack of subscription to relevant or necessary platforms, and lack of resources for online learning among teachers and students. Several solutions to such challenges are proposed, such as rethinking the issue of depth versus breadth within the curriculum, utilizing retired and expert teachers in certain content areas, allocating time for interventions, rethinking scheduling and student grouping, and enhancing support from teachers and parents to ensure adequate access to online resources.