Poster #49 - The Impact of Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy on Classroom Instruction After the COVID-19 Lockdown

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic changed the early childhood educational system (Kim, 2020; Tarkar, 2020), and created a new mode of teaching utilizing technology (Raja & Nagasubramani, 2018; Kim, 2020). Based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theoretical framework (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), the shift from traditional in-person instruction to new online teaching during child care center closures may have greatly impacted teachers’ emotional wellbeing and efficacy (e.g., Hu et al., 2021). This, in turn, may cause problems in teachers’ retention, and the quality of teacher-child relationships (Eadie et al., 2021; Guirguis & Plotka, 2022). This study examined preschool teachers’ classroom teaching practices when child care centers gradually reopened after lock-down time in 2022 and explored the associations between teachers’ efficacy and their literacy and social emotional teaching practices with consideration of teaching modes (e.g., virtue vs. in-person teaching).
Method: 169 early childhood teachers (50 assistant teachers) in the state of Georgia (80% African American teachers, mean teaching experience = 5.2 years, SD = 4.92 years) completed an online survey in August 2021 when child care centers gradually reopened after the lockdown. The online survey included both existing and self-developed items: (a) teachers’ demographic and professional backgrounds, (b) teachers’ general teaching experience (the Early Childhood Teacher Experience Scale, Fantuzzo et al., 2012), (c) teachers’ teaching efficacy of literacy teaching (Preschool Teacher Literacy Beliefs Questionnaire, Hindman & Wasik, 2008) and social emotional instruction (the Crèche Educator Emotional Style Questionnaire, Ciucci et al., 2015), (d) classroom instruction changes related to the pandemic (self-developed). Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to explore associations between teachers’ efficacy, teachers’ retention, and the teaching practices.
Results: Teacher-perceived efficacy (M=3.38, SD= .45) and school support (M=3.41, SD = .54) were at basic level. However, teachers reported low work-related stress (M=2.53, SD=.65) in the beginning of Fall 2021. Teachers who had in-person teaching arrangement had slightly higher efficacy (r=.13, p= .09). Veteran teachers had significantly higher teaching efficacy (r=.18, p<.05). Novice teachers, who perceived higher stress, tended to move to another child care center (r=.21, p<.01). Novice teachers, who perceived lower teaching efficacy (r=-.30, p<.001), lower support (r<-.34, p<.001), and higher stress (r=.28, p<.001) tended to completely change career.
Despite of teaching arrangement, almost all teachers believed book reading is the most important literacy instruction and frequently implemented. Despite their teaching arrangement, most teachers considered writing instructions (letter writing and composing) are the least prioritized in teaching. However, writing instructions are considered the most challenging in teaching.

Conclusion: The preliminary results suggest that preschool teachers may perceive stress when proving online teaching, especially because online teaching was not a part of pre-service teachers’ training or in-service professional learning programs. In-service teachers’ support may be critical for novice teachers for promoting their emotional wellbeing and efficacy. This study also suggest the necessities of integrating the promotion of teachers’ wellbeing into early literacy professional learning program.

Authors

• Monique Johnson, Georgia State University
  Presenting Author

• Chenyi Zhang, Georgia State University

• Yang Liu, Georgia State University