Adapting to a new education era: overcoming challenges in preschool education during pandemic times

Abstract

The art of teaching consists in adapting the structures, contents, teaching strategies, classroom management issues, as well as managing the conditions imposed by the contemporary contexts of society, the constant adaptation of the strategies, used by the teacher, to the needs of the children, while trying to find a balance between the traditional training method and the use of technology. The challenges brought by the context of the last years, in terms of the protection and safety of our health due to the COVID 19 pandemic, have put the education system to the test from all points of view: from a technological point of view, the lack or poor training of teachers in terms of digital competences, the poor functionality of certain school platforms used, etc. However, teachers have implemented ideas that give value to the teaching act, by reinventing themselves, striving to find innovative solutions so that the teaching activities can continue to take place. The aim of this paper is to identify the biggest challenges faced by Romanian teachers in preschool education in the pandemic context, understanding how they managed to adapt and what solutions they found and applied for carrying out the teaching activity. In this respect a questionnaire was developed and distributed among pre-school teachers during November 2021 – January 2022. The results of the research identified a series of difficulties faced by the participants, generated by a multitude of elements such as: lack of technological equipment, low digital skills, difficulties in organizing and supporting the learning activity. An essential aspect regarding the online teaching activity with kindergarten children was the reluctance and non-involvement of parents, many parents not agreeing with the use of the computer and the internet for a long time.

Keywords

• education
• emergency remote education
• teachers` skills