Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Human Sciences and Education
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has caused the world to focus on the transition of learning environments that are more digital and virtual than any other time in educational history. Schools all over the world were required to adjust not only the mode of instruction, such as in virtual, hybrid, or in-person, but also create guidelines and procedures that reduce the amount of interaction between the teacher and the student (Garbe, Ogurlu, Uzeyir, & Cook, 2020). The research questions that guided this study were: 1) What are the experiences of five Biology teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in transitioning to virtual instruction? 2) What advantages or challenges did teachers face in implementing virtual instruction for Biology students during the COVID-19 pandemic? 3) What insights into online curriculum, pedagogy, and professional development did they glean from that would have assisted them in implementing virtual instruction and emergency remote instruction? To address these questions the research was grounded by constructivism as its theoretical framework.
The study examined the experiences of five certified biology teachers who agreed to participate and were in the Southwest Houston metro area. Three teachers were in the same district during COVID (District A) and two were in two different districts (District B and District C). Data was collected through one-on-one interviews, a focus group, and classroom artifacts. Four themes emerged from the reflexive thematic analysis: Teacher Preparation, Lack of Direction, Effectiveness of Instruction, Hybrid Teaching, and Further Instruction. The findings of this study illuminated the need for further research on the experiences and preparation of educational administrators pre and post COVID-19 as well as strategies to better incorporate digital competency into teacher preparation programs.
Date
3-29-2025
Recommended Citation
Collins, Amber R., "UNDERSTANDING THE EXPERIENCES OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC" (2025). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6783.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6783
Committee Chair
Dr. Molly Quinn