On Teachers’ Perceptions of Development of Expertise from the Experience of Distance Teaching and Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The current study explores the factors that influence teachers’ perception of the development of their own “teacher expertise” due to the distance teaching during lockdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consists of 133 primary and secondary school teachers in Greece. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, hierarchical regression and correlation coefficients are used for the analyses of the data. The results show that teachers’ readiness regarding the use of software and hardware is positively correlated with a. teachers’ perception of students’ learning outcomes, b. cognitive and behavioural reaction to change for primary school teachers. Cognitive reaction to change and teachers’ perception of the students’ learning outcome, in turn, influence teachers’ perception about the development of their own “teacher expertise”. The importance of readiness and the cognitive reaction to changes in the teachers’ perception of the development of their “teacher expertise” highlights the need for continuous training of teachers in computer use and technology literacy.