Effects of Distance Learning on Teachers in a Rural Title 1 Elementary Education Setting

Abstract

Following the sudden switch from in-person to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, much research has been conducted about student learning. However, little information is available about the perception of rural teachers during this time. In this qualitative study, researchers interviewed three rural Title I elementary school teachers. Through thematic qualitative analysis, researchers found that there is an intimate link between the rural community’s beliefs about education and the way the teachers perceive their roles in distance learning. The teachers in rural communities view learning and teaching as a social activity that was inhibited by the challenges faced during distance learning despite the support of the community and administration. Teachers overwhelmingly felt that the distance in distance learning inhibited the ability for them to teach and concluded that true learning happens best in an in-person setting.