CHANGES IN TEACHING METHODS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ROMANIA

Abstract

Objectives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous measures have been taken worldwide, and, in this context, teachers were put in a position to adapt teaching to the virtual space and learn the ways of online teaching on the go. The aim of this study was to answer the question: What were the main online teaching methods currently used by Romanian pre-university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic? Material and methods. The research methodology used was the focus group. Between September 9 and 11, 2021, four focus groups were held online with 18 teachers from pre-university education in Romania. Results. Most of the teachers had mixed assessments of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers identified several types of problems they faced during this pandemic. In terms of technical difficulties, they talked about the lack of appropriate technology or the existence of problems related to the Internet connection. From the perspective of social difficulties, they mentioned new types of relationships among teacher, child, and parent and the emergence of new social roles for the child and parent in the educational process. Conclusions. This study shows that there were numerous challenges faced by Romanian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers had to adapt to the new challenges and develop a skill set required in online teaching: learning to creatively use digital tools; more efficient use of already existing online teaching platforms; attending training courses to refine the social and psychological skills needed in online interactions with students.

Keywords

• covid-19 pandemic
• online teaching methods
• digital tools
• online teaching platforms
• online skills and competencies