SAN ANTONIO – A survey on distance learning conducted by the University of Texas at San Antonio reveals that students are less engaged, according to teachers surveyed.
Mike Villarreal, the director of the Urban Education Institute, discussed the results from the teachers’ perspective during a Q&A on Tuesday.
Nearly 2,000 K-12 public school students, parents and teachers across eight school districts in Bexar County were surveyed. Results from the survey with parents and students will be released later.
Villarreal said the institute wanted to capture what students, parents and teachers felt about distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UTSA distance learning survey reveals teachers’ distance learning concerns
“What we learned is that number one, our teachers really are dedicated and committed,” Villarreal said.
According to the survey, up to 95% of teachers had no previous experience teaching online.
About 60% of teachers said students turned in assignments less frequently compared to when students were in face-to-face classes.
“The biggest challenge that we discovered from the teacher’s perspective was that engaging students was a big challenge,” he said.
You can watch part one of Villarreal’s interview in the player above.
Read more about the report here.