A Probe Into Elementary Teachers' Pedagogical Trials in Indian Subcontinent During the COVID-19 Pandemic

What is Already Known About This Topic

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused intense distress worldwide among many different sectors including education with far-reaching effects (Dereso, Meher, & Shobe, 2022). The education sector has undergone a sweeping transition from traditional face-to-face to online. The situation was immensely challenging for the developing countries where digital infrastructure was reeling under a severe economic crisis. But how did they respond to the pandemic exigencies? What did they learn from this ordeal? What trials and triumphs did they experience? What were their main concerns? How did they solve students' concerns? This study was an attempt to find answers to these questions.

What This Paper Adds

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  This is a cross-country analysis of the school teachers’ reflections on online education in the COVID-19 driven backdrop.

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  An exclusive minute on online education experienced by the Indian subcontinent comprising countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.

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  Though the evolution to online teaching entailed a smooth transition, a year later, the niceties of online teaching seem to be taking a toll on facilitators and students.

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  The challenges faced by the schools in these countries were almost the same.

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  Teachers expressed concern over students’ behavior in an online class for which attitude and behavior, knowledge, skills, and health of students emerged as the major concerns.

Implications for Practice and/or Policy

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  Instructional technology has played a crucial role during the pandemic, as technological equipment and resources served as the only platform or place for the delivery of educational activities.

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  The study necessitated the appointment of psychologists in educational institutions in order to deal and cope with the transition from online to offline mode of learning to the students.

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  Training is to be imparted to the teachers to effectively manage the psychosocial changes that are anticipated among students.

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  Governments need to work in collaboration with educational institutions to ensure infrastructure and technological aid to the educational institutions in the existing scenario.

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  This study is an exclusive analysis of this particular region that has long been reeling under educational adversaries and under-achievement owing to several socio-economic-political issues. But how did they respond to the unforeseen pandemic crisis is worth noting.