The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has had an unprecedented impact on education around the world. In order to understand and face this challenge, educators and researchers undertook a range of research, however the time that teachers have to undertake professional development and seek out such literature to inform their practice has been sorely lacking. Furthermore, literature exploring the wider variety of stakeholder experiences has been suggested to be missing. This living rapid systematic review synthesises K-12 research on teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, published in English and indexed in 5 international databases. 89 studies were included for synthesis in the present article, and the results are discussed against a bioecological model of student engagement. The results indicate that the majority of research was conducted in Europe and Asia, predominantly focused on teachers, with more studies undertaken in high schools. Online surveys were the most used method, although future research must include all study design information. Recommendations from the literature include providing further funding for professional development and equipment, prioritising equity, designing collaborative activities, and using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous technology. Gaps in the literature are highlighted and practical tips for teachers are provided.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1285336.pdf

Schools and emergency remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A living rapid systematic review

This mixed-methods study explored K-12 teachers' feelings, experiences, and perspectives regarding online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also examined teachers' perspectives of the "new normal" after COVID-19 and of what should be done to better prepare teachers for future emergencies. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from an online survey and follow-up interviews. A total of 107 teachers from 25 different states in the United States completed the online survey, and 13 teachers from 10 different states participated in the follow-up interviews. The results revealed teachers' feelings about online teaching and various strategies and tools they used during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The major challenges faced by teachers during the pandemic included lack of student participation and engagement (or lack of parental support), students without access to technology, concerns about students' well-being, no face-to-face interactions with students, no work-life balance, and learning new technology. Four major themes emerged regarding how to better prepare teachers for future emergencies: (1) professional development for online learning, (2) technology access, (3) technology training for both teachers and students, and (4) action plans and communication. Regarding teachers' perspectives of the "new normal," five major themes emerged: (1) more online or blended learning, (2) rethinking normal, (3) hygiene and social distancing, (4) smaller classes and different school schedules, and (5) uncertainty and concerns about the "new normal."

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Examining K-12 teachers' feelings, experiences, and perspectives regarding online teaching during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of the Great Online Transition (GOT) that occurred during COVID-19, it is increasingly necessary to understand the digital competencies that are required for online and blended learning in the postpandemic era. Postquarantine, higher education institutions must return to on-campus face-to-face learning, a situation which raises questions concerning how to retain the lessons learned from this period of the forced acquisition and innovation of online teaching competencies. In this article, we present the results of an interview-based study of teachers' experiences of online teaching during the pandemic. One hundred fifty-one teachers were interviewed over a period of 2 years during the pandemic. We conducted a hybrid thematic analysis to systematize teachers' experiences. Our results show that despite the problems faced due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, several lessons were learned: teachers employed an array of digital tools to maintain content delivery and promote interaction, deepened their understanding of course design and assessment, and developed an empathic disposition to understand students' situations. We build upon these experiences to generate recommendations for developing digital competencies following the GOT. 

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Teachers’ experiences of teaching online during COVID-19: implications for postpandemic professional development

The aim of this study was to implement an approach of blended instruction for in-service bilingual teacher-training program to investigate its feasibility based on the perceptions of the participants regarding their familiarity with bilingual education and their satisfaction with the integration of technological tools used in the blended instruction. The framework of this study focused on three characteristics of blended instruction including clear establishment and progress toward curriculum design and objectives, creating an interactive learning environment and enhancing effective interaction among participants, instructors and content by providing a variety of individual and collaborative learning activities planned by the instructors or supported by technological tools. In addition, a mentor system with a tutor and an assistant was offered for giving instructors and participants instructional and technical support during the learning process. The participants’ positive responses confirmed the effectiveness of the training program in that participants become familiar with the integration of subject knowledge and language instruction into bilingual education and can make use of technological tools in the blended instruction to facilitate their learning and the completion of the assigned tasks. A blended instruction of the online programs for training in-service teachers in bilingual education was proposed and discussed. 

Interactive learning for professional development of bilingual education by a blended instructional approach

The educational quality of hybrid solutions relies upon their capabilities to foster meaningful learning and support collaborative and learner-centred instruction. Higher education faculty's and institutions’ preparedness for delivering hybrid/blended instruction is crucial and it has not always passed the test for quality education in the past few years, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the online transition. This study focuses on the educational quality and accessibility provided by hybrid/blended learning solutions (HBLS) at the university level, as perceived by the primary protagonists of education: the students. Six hundred and eighty higher education students completed an online survey on perceived quality and accessibility provided by the hybrid and blended learning solutions activated at their university. A cluster analysis on the participants revealed three patterns of response in terms of quality and accessibility appreciation: a dismissive, an appreciative and an enthusiastic profile. Implications for higher education response to the specific student characteristics are discussed. 

Quality and Accessibility in Blended Learning and Hybrid Solutions at Higher Education Level: A Word from the Students

This response reviews the article entitled "Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: a systematic meta-aggregative review" (Philipsen in Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145-1174, 2019) from a practice perspective. Philipsen (Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145-1174, 2019) conducted a systematic meta-aggregative review that targets teacher professional development for online and blended learning. This paper summarizes the key findings of their study and discusses the value of the findings and how they could be applied to prepare K-12 teachers for online and blended learning. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

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Yunjo An

Papers

A response to an article entitled "Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: a systematic meta-aggregative review".