Digital Technology Coaches' COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences: Supporting Teachers Through Responsiveness, Resourcefulness, and Relationships

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Digital and Tech Tools for Teacher Learning (Table 13)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the lives of teachers and revealed an unprecedented need for use of educational technology (Reich, 2021). This qualitative case study explored the lived experiences of two digital technology (DT) coaches from two different school districts and a sampling of 8 teachers they supported navigating the transition to emergency remote learning. Interview data gathered from the DT coaches and teachers were analyzed through coding and categorizing (Creswell, 2014). Three interconnected themes were revealed: the importance of both coaches’ responsiveness, resourcefulness, and relationships in supporting teachers. Collectively, these represent the 3 R’s of DT pandemic coaching. This study reveals the essential roles of DT coaches and provides direction for practitioners and policymakers in this era of uncertainty.

Authors

• Arlene Grierson, Brock University

• Tiffany L. Gallagher, Brock University