Teacher Training Can Make a Difference: Tools to Overcome the Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Schools. An Experimental Study

Teresa Pozo-Rico, Raquel Gilar-Corbí, Andrea Izquierdo and Juan-Luis Castejón
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Teresa Pozo-Rico: Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Raquel Gilar-Corbí: Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Andrea Izquierdo: Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Juan-Luis Castejón: Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-22

Abstract: Overcoming the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on primary schools is an emerging need and priority in the current social welfare system. Accordingly, this study presents an empirical learning package to support teachers, who perform frontline work in schools, in coping with stress, preventing burnout, improving their information and communications technology (ICT) competency, and introducing the principles of emotional intelligence (EI) in the classroom. The participants included 141 primary school teachers (M = 38.4 years, SD = 6.84; 54.6% women). They were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in the 14-week teacher training program, whereas the control group did not participate in the program or receive any other training during the intervention. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (time x group) was performed to identify the effects of the teacher training program. Teachers who participated in the training program evaluated it positively and showed significant differences compared to the control group in their abilities to cope with stress and avoid burnout, their ICT competency, and their introduction of EI in the classroom. Implications for supporting teachers are discussed.

Keywords: teacher stress; burnout; information and communication technologies; emotional intelligence; teacher continuing education; primary school (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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