Teachers’ Readiness in Conducting PdPR Teaching in Malaysia: An Assessment of Primary Schools Teachers

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted education systems around the world and forced an unplanned “home-based teaching and learning” (PdPR) method. This study aims to identify the teachers’ readiness to engage in PdPR and to examine the factors influence it. This study also investigates whether self-directed learning mediates the relationship between computer self-efficacy and teachers’ readiness. This study utilised an online survey research design with further categorisation and analysis of teachers’ perceptions on their readiness that was gathered via a questionnaire comprising 35 questions based on six assessment criteria. The respondents consisted of 267 teachers from four primary schools in the states of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia who have been conducting PdPR teaching consistently since the Covid-19 outbreak. The finding disclosed that the majority of teachers are ready to embrace PdPR teaching albeit there are still a number of teachers who are still uncertain about their capabilities in conducting PdPR. Results revealed that the computer self-efficacy, technology adaptability, and financial readiness have a significant positive influence on the teachers’ readiness, but not organizational support. In addition, there is an indirect mediating role of self-directed learning on the relationship between the computer self-efficacy and teachers' readiness. Overall, the findings are consistent with Social Cognitive Theory where teachers’ readiness is influenced by individual cognition, individual behavior, and the performance environment. The policymakers could treat the outcomes of this study as a benchmark in synthesising an improvised version of the current PdPR teaching guidelines to better facilitate the teachers if the world is faced with a similar pandemic in the future.