The COVID-19 Pandemic as a catalyst for teacher pedagogical and technological innovation and development: Teachers’ perspectives

1

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on schools around the world with many forced to suspend in-person classes. This has meant teachers have been required to find ways to continue teaching remotely. Remote teaching requires specific and extended skills and knowledge from those required in the in-person classroom. This two-stage qualitative-dominant sequential mixed-method study, using a survey of Hong Kong primary and secondary school English language teachers (N = 73) and follow-up interviews (N = 10), collectively explores teachers’ readiness for using digital technologies before the pandemic, how they have innovated and professionally developed throughout the pandemic, and what impact the pandemic has had on their pedagogical and technological development. The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for teacher innovation and development. Teachers went through a three-phase period of innovation as they responded to the school closures and adjusted to the new digital environment. To support their innovation, teachers engaged in both school and teacher-initiated professional development. The findings have theoretical implications, proposing a model to explore innovation during times of crisis, “Phases of Innovation in Response to Crisis Process”. They also have practical implications, providing examples of innovations adopted by teachers during this period of radical change.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• Pandemic
• Teacher innovation
• Professional Development
• online teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Benjamin Luke Moorhouse

Benjamin Luke Moorhouse, Ed.D, FHEA., is an Assistant Professor of English Language Education in the Department of Education Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research focuses on the lived experiences and competence of teachers, teaching young language learners, and the role of technology in language teaching and learning. His recent research has been published in journals such as Educational Studies, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, Journal of Education for Teaching and System.

Kevin M. Wong

Kevin Wong, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Education and Chair of the MA in TESOL Program in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University. Dr. Wong draws from his biracial, multilingual upbringing in Hong Kong to examine language learning among children, with a particular interest in new language learning and heritage language maintenance. As a former primary school teacher, Dr. Wong is a scholar-practitioner who collaborates with pre- and in-service teachers to enhance teaching and learning in linguistically and culturally diverse contexts. His research has appeared in journals including Journal of Educational Psychology, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, System, and Computer Assisted Language Learning.