A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning

This study illuminates the experiences of K-12 educators as they strove to (re)build caring relationships with students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted during a graduate course for experienced K-12 teachers in the spring of 2020 at a four-year comprehensive university in the U...

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Main Author: Karyn E. Miller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Online Learning Consortium 2021-03-01
Series:Online Learning
Subjects:
Online Access:https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/view/2486
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author Karyn E. Miller
author_facet Karyn E. Miller
author_sort Karyn E. Miller
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description This study illuminates the experiences of K-12 educators as they strove to (re)build caring relationships with students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted during a graduate course for experienced K-12 teachers in the spring of 2020 at a four-year comprehensive university in the United States. Data was collected from reflective learning journals and asynchronous peer discussions, which captured educators’ experiences as they transitioned to remote learning in real-time. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify pertinent themes. Findings suggest that remote learning revealed relationships in need of repair. Educators practiced authentic care and cultivated connectedness by 1) acting as warm demanders, 2) responding to students’ social-emotional needs, and 3) trying to bridge the digital divide. The article concludes with implications for practice and areas for future research as schools, districts, states, and countries consider the “new normal” in K-12 schooling. 
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spelling doaj.art-381fef5c6e4f4cbb9f25b11c0d5637122024-02-03T09:41:19ZengOnline Learning ConsortiumOnline Learning2472-57492472-57302021-03-0125110.24059/olj.v25i1.2486A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote LearningKaryn E. Miller0Texas A&M University-Commerce This study illuminates the experiences of K-12 educators as they strove to (re)build caring relationships with students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted during a graduate course for experienced K-12 teachers in the spring of 2020 at a four-year comprehensive university in the United States. Data was collected from reflective learning journals and asynchronous peer discussions, which captured educators’ experiences as they transitioned to remote learning in real-time. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify pertinent themes. Findings suggest that remote learning revealed relationships in need of repair. Educators practiced authentic care and cultivated connectedness by 1) acting as warm demanders, 2) responding to students’ social-emotional needs, and 3) trying to bridge the digital divide. The article concludes with implications for practice and areas for future research as schools, districts, states, and countries consider the “new normal” in K-12 schooling.  https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/view/2486care in educationschool belongingconnectednessremote learningonline learning communitiesK-12 schooling
spellingShingle Karyn E. Miller
A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
Online Learning
care in education
school belonging
connectedness
remote learning
online learning communities
K-12 schooling
title A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
title_full A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
title_fullStr A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
title_full_unstemmed A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
title_short A Light in Students’ Lives: K-12 Teachers’ Experiences (Re)Building Caring Relationships During Remote Learning
title_sort light in students lives k 12 teachers experiences re building caring relationships during remote learning
topic care in education
school belonging
connectedness
remote learning
online learning communities
K-12 schooling
url https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/view/2486
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