Abstract
One of the many drastic changes caused by Covid-19 was the quick implementation of distance learning which represented a great technological challenge to many teachers and students. In fact, Italy ranks 24th amongst the 27-EU member countries in digital competitiveness which testifies to the significant delays and gaps in basic digital skills amongst the population. Based on the difficulties encountered in organizing distance learning, we assumed that teachers' perceived stress increased. Given that transversal skills can be associated with this relationship, we hypothesized that among these skills, self-efficacy mediated the relationship between the difficulties in organizing distance learning and perceived stress. Since we targeted teachers from Italy and other European countries, we also hypothesized that this mediator effect would be different for both samples. Our sample was composed of a total of 366 primary/middle school teachers of which 86% female. After doing a mediation analyses with Process, Hayes' Model 4, we confirmed H1 but not H2: resulting in a partial mediation effect of self-efficacy for each individual group of teachers. Since difficulties of distance learning can affect the perception of stress, we believe that the promotion of transversal skills, such as self-efficacy, can better equip teachers when facing stressful situations.
Highlights
Northern Italy was one of the first European areas to be severely affected by Covid-19 in a very short time (Armocida et al, 2020; JRC Map., 2020; Spiteri et al, 2020)
We considered Italy’s different timing and approach/resources when compared to other European countries, : H2: The effect of teachers’ self-efficacy in the relationship between difficulties in organizing distance learning and perceived stress is different for the two samples, Italian, and Other European Countries
Consistent with former research, all the correlations are significant among the variables, but Perceived Stress (r = −0.35, p < 0.001) and Difficulties in organizing Distance Learning (r = −0.42, p < 0.001) are negatively related to General Self-Efficacy
Summary
Northern Italy was one of the first European areas to be severely affected by Covid-19 in a very short time (Armocida et al, 2020; JRC Map., 2020; Spiteri et al, 2020). In order to contain the spread of the virus, and as a way to ensure physical distancing, the Italian government issued a total lockdown becoming the first European government to take such measurement (Flaxman et al, 2020). Teachers and students were forced to quickly shift to a completely new method to continue their school program by relying on any means they had available at the time (Cowden et al, 2020; Daniel, 2020; Telli, 2020) This experience was shaped by many factors: Covid-19, Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Distance Learning from level of technological knowledge/resources (König et al, 2020) to drastic changes in lifestyle further enhanced by a sense of uncertainty (Hawryluck et al, 2004; Berinato, 2020; Brooks et al, 2020). Teachers who have these skills are able to cope better with new and unexpected situations of high stress (Carson and Runco, 1999; Betoret, 2006; Schwarzer and Hallum, 2008; Greenberg et al, 2016)
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