Page 161 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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Collie, 2020) in which the majority of teachers reported being happy and distance teaching: perceived stress, psychological health and work satisfaction among classroom teachers 159
cheerful, calm and relaxed during the period of distance teaching due to lock-
down. Despite the fact that distance teaching was not connected to significant
psychological distress for the majority of participants in our study, we found
that among the most common symptoms of psychological distress were dif-
ferent signs of increased nervous tension (e.g., restlessness, nervousness, irri-
tation, and inability to relax), which implies that for some teachers the whole
situation of working at home was however demanding. The difficultness of
this situation is probably connected not only to their changed working condi-
tions, but also to changes in teachers’ private home settings as a consequence
of their confinement in their home because of the epidemic (e.g., taking care
of their children’s school work, having their spouse working at home in the
same time).
In general, teachers in our sample reported being satisfied with their
working conditions, private life, and social support they received during the
epidemic of COVID-19. They seemed to be the most satisfied with the avail-
ability of materials they were able to reach by using information communi-
cation technologies (ICTs), the materials they provided for their students, as
well as with their communication with students and their parents. We could
argue that the situation with COVID-19 allowed the teachers to get acquaint-
ed with information communication technologies (ICTs) and strengthen their
competencies in their use. Participants in our study appeared the least satisfied
with the amount of time they dedicated for their work and private life, with
spending too much time for their work and as a consequence being left with
inadequate time for themselves. This supports the notion that the influence of
the pandemic of COVID-19 has represented a career transition to many people
(Rudolph and Zacher, 2020) including teachers, forcing them to face and invest
time and energy to adapt to the new working demands.
This study offers a very important and current insight into teachers’ cop-
ing with changed working conditions due to epidemic of COVID-19. However,
some weaknesses can be identified, such as (1) small sample of participants; (2)
participants were invited to participate via social networks, which could rep-
resent the fact that mostly of the teachers who are very skilled in using ICTs
were involved in this study; (3) time of data gathering (i.e., sixth week of dis-
tance teaching) in which the majority of teachers might have already success-
fully managed the transition from face-to-face teaching to distance teaching.
Conclusions
In light with preparing for the possible upcoming outbreaks of COVID-19
and changed educational settings, this study offers some valuable insight in-
to teachers’ perceptions of distance teaching and its impact on their health and
wellbeing. Despite representing a transition which required an active adapta-
tion, the period of distance teaching due to epidemic of COVID-19 did not ap-
pear as a significantly stressful situation for teachers in our study. Participants
cheerful, calm and relaxed during the period of distance teaching due to lock-
down. Despite the fact that distance teaching was not connected to significant
psychological distress for the majority of participants in our study, we found
that among the most common symptoms of psychological distress were dif-
ferent signs of increased nervous tension (e.g., restlessness, nervousness, irri-
tation, and inability to relax), which implies that for some teachers the whole
situation of working at home was however demanding. The difficultness of
this situation is probably connected not only to their changed working condi-
tions, but also to changes in teachers’ private home settings as a consequence
of their confinement in their home because of the epidemic (e.g., taking care
of their children’s school work, having their spouse working at home in the
same time).
In general, teachers in our sample reported being satisfied with their
working conditions, private life, and social support they received during the
epidemic of COVID-19. They seemed to be the most satisfied with the avail-
ability of materials they were able to reach by using information communi-
cation technologies (ICTs), the materials they provided for their students, as
well as with their communication with students and their parents. We could
argue that the situation with COVID-19 allowed the teachers to get acquaint-
ed with information communication technologies (ICTs) and strengthen their
competencies in their use. Participants in our study appeared the least satisfied
with the amount of time they dedicated for their work and private life, with
spending too much time for their work and as a consequence being left with
inadequate time for themselves. This supports the notion that the influence of
the pandemic of COVID-19 has represented a career transition to many people
(Rudolph and Zacher, 2020) including teachers, forcing them to face and invest
time and energy to adapt to the new working demands.
This study offers a very important and current insight into teachers’ cop-
ing with changed working conditions due to epidemic of COVID-19. However,
some weaknesses can be identified, such as (1) small sample of participants; (2)
participants were invited to participate via social networks, which could rep-
resent the fact that mostly of the teachers who are very skilled in using ICTs
were involved in this study; (3) time of data gathering (i.e., sixth week of dis-
tance teaching) in which the majority of teachers might have already success-
fully managed the transition from face-to-face teaching to distance teaching.
Conclusions
In light with preparing for the possible upcoming outbreaks of COVID-19
and changed educational settings, this study offers some valuable insight in-
to teachers’ perceptions of distance teaching and its impact on their health and
wellbeing. Despite representing a transition which required an active adapta-
tion, the period of distance teaching due to epidemic of COVID-19 did not ap-
pear as a significantly stressful situation for teachers in our study. Participants
