Moving from Face-to-Face Instruction to Virtual Instruction in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Narratives of K-12 Teachers

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 took business, education, and the government sectors off guard. On the education front, the problem was interruptions in instruction when alternative forms of instruction are not provided. This study is a narrative of how six certified teachers, with between 1-26 years of teaching experience in K-12 grades, and who were recruited through snowball sampling quickly adjusted to providing instruction to students with available and accessible learning management tools during the first two months of the COVID-19 health crisis. Participants shared teaching practices to quickly transition to online education. Teachers drew from their toolbox to reach students using both high and low technology embedded lessons. Participants shared the types of technology and methods used for teaching. Teaching styles included the following approaches: inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, and kinesthetic approach. The study calls for a crisis management plan for K-12 virtual learning. Recommendations included providing continuous training, so K-12 teachers can effectively teach online.