Synchronous teaching and asynchronous trauma: Exploring teacher trauma in the wake of Covid-19

Abstract

Following the onset of COVID-19, major subsections of our global society have shifted and mutated from the status quo of operation, especially in the field of education. A system that served far more social functions than just basic literacy and numeracy instruction, education has shifted out of the school buildings and into living rooms and spare bedrooms across the world. This research investigated the physical and psychological implications of traversing and functioning in this new virtual world that educators found themselves operating in. This study utilized narrative inquiry and survey data in order to gather mixed method data to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of COVID-19 and how educators processed and coped with the transition to distance learning. The findings illuminated narratives of trauma and managing stress in the face of the pandemic. Additional study may focus on replicating this research across multiple research locations.

Keywords

• Teacher education
• Virtual teaching
• Trauma
• Narrative inquiry
• Synchronous
• Asynchronous