“I have been pushed outside of my comfort zone and have grown as a result”: Teacher professional learning and innovation during the pandemic

This study examines opportunities for teacher professional growth and innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data, including responses to both closed and open-ended questions, were collected from 276 elementary-school teachers who taught online in two school districts in California. Quantitative and qualitative analyses document the extent to which teachers experienced opportunities for professional growth and innovation, how they described these opportunities, and what factors explained variability in teachers’ responses. Contrary to some extant research produced in the last few years, teachers overwhelmingly agreed that the transition to online instruction provided opportunities to be innovative and to learn to teach with new technologies. Specifically, they reported new approaches for connecting with students and their families as well as integrating technology into classroom practice beyond the period of remote learning. Consistent with prior theory related to teacher learning, factors that predicted perceived opportunities included their overall satisfaction with the support provided by their school/district, collaboration with colleagues, and their self-efficacy for using technology to teach specific concepts and curriculum. Findings suggest implications for how to leverage this period of professional growth beyond the pandemic.