Perceived teacher stress during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The rapid change in education in March 2020, triggered by the pandemic, prompted an equally swift response from stakeholders, managers, teachers, and, not least, pupils. Struggling with physical, technological, and methodological problems, teachers also had to contend with the social isolation of their pupils, as well as the emotional, technical, and learning challenges faced by the pupils, all of which, of course, had an impact on their own mental and physical well-being. The aim of the study is to investigate the extent to which the ability to use online tools influences the stress teachers faced during a pandemic, similar to the effect of school and government management support on stress intensity. The sample for this study comprised 72 male and female participants between the ages of 24 and 54 years. Convenient sampling was employed to collect data. The questionnaire with binary, Likert scale, and open-ended questions was administered to the sample. Correlation tests and t-tests were used to analyze the data in this study. The research revealed a statistically significant medium negative correlation between the intensity of stress and the ability to use digital tools, as well as a similar correlation between stress and the perceived support from the government. The results indicate that teachers’ ability to use online tools significantly improved during the pandemic. However, it also highlights the urgent need for changes in teacher training education to equip pre-service teachers with 21st-century skills.

Keywords

• pandemic
• stress
• quality of education
• online teaching
• digital competence