Primary School Physical Education at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Could Online Teaching Undermine Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Work Engagement?

Erica Gobbi, Maurizio Bertollo, Alessandra Colangelo, Attilio Carraro and Selenia di Fronso
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Erica Gobbi: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy
Maurizio Bertollo: Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti and Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Alessandra Colangelo: Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, 35100 Padova, Italy
Attilio Carraro: Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen, 39100 Bozen, Italy
Selenia di Fronso: Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti and Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-9

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate whether primary school classroom teachers reported changes in physical education teaching self-efficacy (SE-PE) and work engagement (WE) during the first COVID-19 wave. A total of 622 classroom teachers filled in an online questionnaire on SE-PE and WE, referring to before and during the lockdown, and on perceived digital competence. While controlling for perceived digital competence, a mixed between-within Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (RM-MANCOVA) was performed, using a factorial design with two time categories (before vs. during the lockdown) and three age categories (≤40 vs. 41–50 vs. ≥51 years). The RM-MANCOVA revealed that perceived digital competence significantly adjusted teachers’ SE-PE and WE values ( p < 0.001). The analysis yielded a significant multivariate main effect by time ( p < 0.001) and by time × age categories ( p = 0.001). Follow-up univariate ANCOVA showed significant differences by time in teachers’ SE-PE ( p < 0.001) and WE ( p < 0.001), with a reduction in both values from before to during the lockdown. A Bonferroni post hoc pairwise comparison showed teachers’ SE-PE significantly decreased in all age categories ( p < 0.001). The present findings confirm the importance of promoting SE-PE among primary school teachers, regardless of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers’ self-efficacy and WE are essential to master the challenges of PE teaching.

Keywords: physical education; COVID-19; primary school; self-efficacy; work engagement; school closure; classroom teachers; digital competence; online teaching; lockdown (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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