Habits of mind of primary school teachers implementing technology during emergency remote teaching

Abstract

This study used narrative inquiry to analyze how four primary school English teachers described the challenges they faced while teaching remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they handled these challenges, particularly with technology during online instruction. The purpose of this exploration was to identify the ways of thinking or Habits of Mind participants exhibited when dealing with the challenges. Through thematic analysis, participants’ narratives were aligned with intelligent behaviors. The study found that there were seven Habits of Mind commonly used by teachers to address the problems they faced during emergency remote teaching. A conceptual framework was used to link these Habits of Mind to educational theories. Constructivism, self-regulated learning, and incremental learning were among the theories that could be used to explain teachers’ persistence, inquiry, and continuous efforts to learn technology, aself-improvement. The outcomes indicate that these educational theories can be emphasized in teacher education programs to foster constructive and supportive Habits of Mind that will help teachers address and overcome technological challenges.