Impact of Emergency Remote Teaching and Digital Technology Usage in K-12 Teacher Practice

Abstract

Digital technologies are potentially being used more in K-12 classrooms than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In efforts to slow the spread of the virus, many schools abruptly transitioned to emergency remote teaching (ERT). Not all teachers and students were familiar with using such tools, but were required to adapt. COVID-19 has resulted in a large amount of research in education; however, studies focused on ERT and its impact on teacher practice is limited. This inquiry explores how ERT has impacted digital technology usage in current K-12 teacher practice. Data has been collected from K-12 teachers enrolled in graduate programs at one large university through an online questionnaire, semi structured interviews, a review of documents provided by interview participants, and analytic memos. Analysis and interpretation of findings is in progress, and will be organized by way of examining the key research questions through Cultural Historical Activity Theory. This research will also reveal digital technologies introduced during ERT, and factors influencing a teacher’s decision to integrate new technologies into current practice. The author will conclude by offering recommendations that may be useful in the work of technological change in K-12 education.