Educators' perspectives on cyberbullying: A qualitative study

Despite recognition that cyberbullying can have negative consequences in youth's lives, including decreased academic achievement, adverse physical outcomes, and increased suicidal ideation, there has been little empirical evidence about effective school interventions or understanding educators' knowledge and comfort to address cyberbullying with their students. The present study examined educators' perspectives on cyberbullying to inform effective intervention techniques in a middle school setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 San Francisco Bay Area middle school educators. Results yielded the following themes: a) cyberbullying is conceptualized as harassment or mistreatment via electronic devices and media, b) some schools are not adequately prepared to guide and support teachers in navigating cyberbullying, c) school personnel report feeling willing to address cyberbullying but lack the training to do so, and d) cyberbullying seemed to increase after schools reopened from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, despite educators' indications that they have significant concerns about the impact of cyberbullying on their students, they are feeling overwhelmed with the demands of the system to provide specific interventions for their students. Therefore, it would be imperative for future research to continue exploring effective intervention programs to utilize with middle school students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Exploring motivating factors of traditionally trained first-year teachers: A qualitative study

The problem among teacher retention is an issue as the annual teacher turnover rate in several countries is between 13-15%. With the increase in teachers selecting alternative paths or emergency permits, this study aimed to explore the motivational factors of traditionally trained, first-year, full-time, K-12 public teachers. The education motivational research specifically focused on preservice experience, early teacher experience, teacher motivation approaches, and recruitment and retention motivation. Although there is a lot of research on motivation, the research gap did not provide motivational factors specifically aimed at the traditionally trained, first-year, full-time, K-12 public teachers. The study contributed to the field of education by providing the motivational factors from the teachers' own experiences through a basic qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the motivational factors traditionally trained, first-year, full-time, K-12 public school teachers. The theoretical framework for the study was Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. The population for this study consisted of 10 traditionally trained, full-time K-12 public school teachers. Using thematic analysis, four motivational factor themes emerged: affirmation, support, job selection, and pandemic impact. The teachers were motivated by affirmation, acknowledgement of their conscientious application to the profession and knowing they were making a difference among their students. The teachers were motivated by support through having balance and opportunities for professional growth. The teachers were motivated by the ability to select the position and school district. On the opposite spectrum, the pandemic impact motivated teachers in making the decision to return to the classroom the following year. The study includes the COVID-19 restrictions, specifically the interviews being conducted virtually. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The perceived effects of a structured collaborative professional development program on teacher efficacy and job satisfaction

This applied dissertation was designed to study the relationship between the participation of teachers in a collaborative professional development program, Lesson Study, and their self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Lack of structure and time to effectively implement and reflect upon collaborative professional development programs create a sense of frustration and dissatisfaction in the teaching profession and at the proposed study site as rigorous standards for professional development and job performance continue to rise. Recent research showed that teachers who engage in Lesson Study as a structured professional development tool often experience a stronger sense of self-efficacy and satisfaction compared to those who do not participate.This mixed-methods study investigated the perceived impact that Lesson Study, a structured collaborative professional development program, had on the efficacy and job satisfaction of middle school and high school teachers. A total of 19 participants, 13 middle school teachers and 6 high school teachers, were recruited as volunteers in this research study. Each participant completed the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, The Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale, and an open-ended questionnaire on available professional development opportunities to establish a baseline in terms of job satisfaction and individual efficacy. At the end of the eight-week Lesson Study, each participant completed the same survey instruments as post-assessments. In addition, each participant completed a weekly journal entry reflecting their individual thoughts, feelings, questions, and impressions over the course of the eight-week Lesson Study process. They also completed a Classroom Observation Form after each lesson taught, as well as a comprehensive Group Reflection Form.The researcher first analyzed the quantitative and qualitative data separately. Descriptive coding was used to identify common themes, and then the data was triangulated to gain a better understanding of the perceived value of Lesson Study and its impact on teacher efficacy and job satisfaction. Each participant expressed an average to above-average sense of efficacy and job satisfaction prior to their participation in the research study. In combination with a limited number of participants due to COVID constraints, limited time, and a decreased participation rate during post-survey dissemination, the data and common themes identified show teachers' participation in Lesson Study did not have any significant impact on their perceived sense of efficacy and job satisfaction. This information should be utilized to better inform administrators at both the middle school and high school study sites on how to schedule designated time for content-specific professional development opportunities that promote a more positive and collaborative work environment for teachers in a post-COVID environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Perceived job satisfaction among teachers pre-covid-19 and second year COVID-19: A qualitative analysis

Teacher attrition is a problem. A high level of teacher attrition contributes to the teacher shortages across the United States. Teachers leaving the teaching profession and the growing demand for more teachers in the workforce necessitates research regarding job satisfaction among teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the commonalities and differences among perceptions of elementary, middle school, and high school teachers in southern Illinois. Internal and external factors behind job satisfaction in the teaching profession prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic were examined. Dr. Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory was the theoretical framework. Seven research questions examined job satisfaction among seven elementary teachers, nine middle school teachers, and five high school teachers. Open-ended interview questions were used to collect participants' perceptions of their job satisfaction prior to COVID-19 and year two of COVID-19. Data was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings from the thematic analysis indicate the importance of retaining factors that increase teachers' job satisfaction. Changes in the teaching profession may include understanding from administration and the public as to what teachers go through socially and mentally. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 Y SALUD MENTAL DOCENTE Diferencias en torno al sexo y el rol de cuidador(a)

Although research on mental health increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, less evidence exists on teachers, women, and caregivers, in spite of their higher vulnerability. The objective of this study is to examine the differences in terms of gender and caregivers' roles in the mental health of Chilean teachers following five months of closed schools. To reach this goal, an online questionnaire was employed from July 9 to August 6, 2020;Goldberg's 12-item General Health Questionnaire was included. The results show that 43.6% of the respondents obtained more than seven points, with a higher number among women and caregivers. One of the causes provided in the conclusions points to teachers' resources for addressing demands. The recommendation is that preventive actions, treatment, and palliative efforts should view mental health as a problem that unequally affects teachers who are caregivers and female. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Aunque ha aumentado la investigación sobre la salud mental durante la pandemia de COVID-19, hay menos evidencia sobre docentes, mujeres y personas cuidadoras, a pesar de su mayor vulnerabilidad. El objetivo de esta investigación fue examinar las diferencias en torno al sexo y el rol de cuidador(a) en la salud mental de las y los docentes chilenos después de cinco meses de cierre de las escuelas. Para este fin, se aplicó un cuestionario en línea entre el 9 de julio y el 6 de agosto de 2020, que incluyó el Cuestionario de Salud General de Goldberg de 12 ítems. Los resultados muestran que el 43.6% obtuvo más de 7 puntos y el valor subió en mujeres y cuidadoras(es). En las conclusiones, junto a las causas, se indican los recursos que tienen las y los docentes para enfrentar las demandas. Se recomienda que las acciones preventivas, de tratamiento y paliativas visualicen la salud mental como un problema que afecta desigualmente a docentes mujeres y cuidadoras(es). (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Investigación Educativa is the property of Consejo Mexicano de Investigacion Educativa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Middle school teacher methods for cultivating student autonomy: A PLC case study during COVID-19

The purpose of this PLC-informed qualitative interview case study was to explore middle school teacher methods for cultivating student autonomy and the rationale behind their instructional choices. Here, student autonomy was defined as learners taking ownership of their academic performance and scholastic responsibilities (Holec, 1981). The unforeseen emergence of COVID-19 impacted the format of this study and provided a rare opportunity for a six-week, nine-member professional learning community (PLC) focusing on the topic of student autonomy. A survey questionnaire, PLC transcripts, and 30-minute semi-structured qualitative exit interviews underwent thematic coding analysis to place teacher responses in the context of predominant voices found in academia today. Themes are examined from a leadership perspective, through the social justice lens of critical pedagogy (Freire, 1970;Giroux, 2011;McLaren, 2015). This study evolved to capture the teachers' lived experiences during the pandemic in order to gain their perspectives on how autonomy shifted along with the traditional means of instruction during this time of seismic change. Discussed are themes of performativity, teacher authenticity, social and emotional learning (SEL), PLCs as professional development (PD), motivation, constructivism, adaptive expertise, and metacognition, along with several others, nesting teachers' practical experience in the rich context of pedagogical theory, specifically when navigating new roles in remote and hybrid instruction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Educational leadership support for work transitions during COVID-19: Perceptions of K-12 teachers in United States and China

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational leadership support as perceived by K-12 teachers and leadership effectiveness in addressing the work transition during the COVID-19 pandemic in two countries: China and the U.S. In this exploratory study, sixteen K-12 teachers from China and the U.S. were interviewed. Our findings indicated that participants received educational leadership support in daily tasks, well-being, and training and development. Participants also indicated that their leaders helped them cope with the work transition by empowering and inspiring them. However, the leaders also faced challenges including limited resources and lack of authorization from upper-level administration. Differences in educational leadership were identified between China and the U.S. in terms of communication and trust-building, work-life/family balance, and safety. This study provides insights for educational leaders and HRD professionals on strategies to support teachers in a crisis such as the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Development and validation of scores on a measure to appraise student-teacher relationships in a remote learning environment: Validation of the virtual learning assessment

The purpose of this dissertation was to validate scores for a new survey tool, The Virtual Learning Assessment. This 53-item measure was designed with the intent that if scores are validated it could provide a means in which student-teacher relationships and the attributes that enhance those relationships in a remote setting could be assessed. To test the validity of the this newly designed measure 532 Middle School students were asked to rate the level of impact specific teacher actions had on middle school student's relationship with a teacher while in a remote learning environment. This survey was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the survey was distributed electronically during students first semester back in face-to-face learning. Results revealed a 2-factor solution, these two factors were named, teachers' support for students' social-emotional well-being (factor 1) and personalized learning for students (factor 2). Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed an acceptable-to questionable fit, with the data based on the guidelines provided by Dimitrov (2012) and Schreiber et al. (2006), CMIN, chi2 (323) = 770.01, p < .001, chi2/df = 2.38;CFI = .88;RMSEA = .07, 90% CI (.06, .07);and SRMR = .05. In addition, the 2-factor solution indicated a Normative Fit Index (NFI = .81), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI = .87). Values for this statistic range between 0 and 1 with Bentler and Bonnet (1980) recommending values greater than .90 indicating a good fit (Hooper & Mullen, 2008). The preliminary attempt to validate scores on the Virtual Learning Assessment suggests that while a true latent structure does exist amongst the data set with a 2-factor solution, further refinement of the survey items is necessary before further use of the measure in conducting research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Don't stand so close to me: How middle school educators describe lessons learned regarding student engagement during COVID-19

The COVID-19, an acronym derived from coronavirus disease 2019, pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink education, to reimagine how to engage students in the learning process both in person and distance learning (Zhao & Watterston, 2021). Suspension of face-to-face instruction in schools during the pandemic has led to concerns about consequences for students' learning (Engzell et al., 2021). One of the pressing challenges during COVID-19 has been engaging students in distance/hybrid learning, fundamentally different systems from the traditional brick-and-mortar school landscape (Dorn et al., 2020).The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how educators in a northeast state described lessons learned regarding student engagement in three public school districts at the middle school level during the COVID-19 pandemic. The overarching research question guiding this inquiry was: How do educators describe lessons learned regarding student engagement during COVID-19?This three-phase qualitative study explored educator challenges and successes. Phase I three middle school educator focus groups (N=17);Phase II educator reflective questionnaires sent to the participants after the focus groups (N=13);Phase III consisted of a semi-structured interview with an expert (N=1). The findings from each phase informed subsequent phases.Four themes emerged from the data analysis: 1) Student Engagement, 2) Educator and Student Connections, 3) Social-Emotional Learning, and 4) Empathy and Equity. This study provides insights from educators and one expert informant into how student engagement was altered due to the sudden changes in instructional dynamics while COVID-19 unfolded. The findings from this study may provide a better understanding of the lessons learned regarding student engagement during COVID-19. Results identify best practices that may be emulated by other educators as well as develop strategies to manage distance and in person learning as they lead their students through a crisis. Findings further provide insight into what educators experienced during this crisis. Based on these findings, further research, policy, and practice recommendations are made. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Exploring Middle School Teachers' Job Demands and Job Resources during COVID-19

Introduction: The study aimed to explore teachers' general working conditions, job demands and resources, and teachers' general well-being in four middle schools in the Southeastern U.S during COVID-19. Methods: The methodology for this study was qualitative. The sampling strategy was purposeful and comprised 15 educators. The data were collected utilizing two semi-structured interviews and documentation. The data analysis consisted of thematic analysis. Results: The study's results revealed seven themes that emerged from the data: (1) Changes in working conditions;(2) teachers' well-being and working conditions;(3) perceived teachers' new job demands and additional workload;(4) emotionally draining job demands;(5) perceived available job resources;(6) perceived need for job resources;and (7) strategies teachers used to cope with stress. Discussion: The lessons learned during the pandemic in these four organizations may assist leaders in designing new policies and avoid further deterioration of teachers' well-being. Limitations: Access to the organization's documentation and the sample size were limitations. Conclusions: The shift in job demands and job resources during the pandemic placed teachers at risk of emotional exhaustion and burnout.

Perceptions of music teachers and administrators: Support in K-12 schools

Peer-reviewed inquiries have revealed that music can play vital roles in the lives of students (Heinrich, 2012). This examination used research articles, email interviews, and documented sources to explore the relationships and communication of music teachers and administrators in supporting music instruction for students in grades k-12. The inquiry used email interviews to describe the positions of an administrator to music teacher in creating communication channels that address fine arts and improving student achievement through participation in music activities (Michel, 2018). The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between administrators and public school music teachers in the area of support of music programs. This study also studied how the COVID pandemic has impacted music program support. The researcher chose a qualitative study because this project focused on implementing email interviews in order to design personal portraits of the volunteers. The study offered investigative discussions of what music teachers perceive as support between administrators and themselves in K-12 music classrooms. Since this was a single study, the literature has significant limits and gaps. Most music teachers generalized that the support of administrators is imperative to school music success. The tenons of support included improving personal and professional relationships, input on curriculum and standardized testing decisions, school committee representation, budgeting cooperation, peer acceptance protocols, and student improvement methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of compassion fatigue in K-12 teachers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic education return-to-learn process

Throughout the past two years, education has seen a significant number of changes as schools, educators, and students navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. As teachers transitioned between instructional modes, including hybrid and remote instructional practices, they have seen the role of the teacher shift and evolve. Given these changes, teachers have endured a various challenges that contributed to the possibility of compassion fatigue. This study sought to understand the experience of the teacher and the impact of compassion fatigue (specifically looking at burnout and secondary traumatic stress) on teachers, exploring potential predictors of compassion fatigue. This study used the ProQOL path model as a conceptual framework, focusing on the contributing factors experienced in the teacher's work environment, client (or student/classroom) environment, and person environment. Grounded in a pragmatic philosophical approach to research, this study used a survey research methodology. This study included participants who were K-12 teachers from across the United States, with a majority of participants from the mid-western states. Independent samples t-test revealed that females had a higher rate of compassion fatigue than males, as indicated by higher scores for both burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that a participant's years employed in education, gender, resilience, and compassion satisfaction were predictors of compassion fatigue when looking at secondary traumatic stress. Similarly, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that resilience and compassion satisfaction were predictors of compassion fatigue when looking at burnout. Recommendations for teachers (and teacher organizations), school administrators, and school boards are discussed, along with recommendations for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Supports necessary for K-12 teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A single case study

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many uncertainties in education. Administrators making sure that teachers receive the proper supports is extremely important. The research problem examines the sudden transition to online learning and the difficulties for students, plus the challenges that teachers were facing that were not addressed. Teachers struggled with strategies to help K-12 students excel in remote learning. The purpose of this qualitative single case study is to explore strategies to support K-12 teachers during the COVID 19 pandemic, and to help K-12 school students in an urban school district in southeastern Michigan excel in remote learning. This single case study was framed by the Job Demands-Resources Model (JDRM), a transactional conceptual framework originally developed by Bakker and Demerouti (2007) to investigate teacher stress. A qualitative single case study approach allowed an exploration of K-12 urban teachers' perspectives of the supports they needed to teach online during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth interviews and a questionnaire were used to investigate Urban teachers' views about the supports necessary to teach online during the pandemic. The target population is K-12 teachers (N = 1,905) teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban city in southeastern Michigan. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a homogenous sample of 12-15 teachers who were teaching online due to COVID-19. The two research questions guiding this study are: What strategies are needed to support educators teaching online in urban high schools? What can teachers do to help urban high school students excel during remote learning as a result of Covid-19? This study's findings could help federal, state, and local educational stakeholders prepare to teach students in an online classroom within the context of an emergency like the pandemic. Teachers suggested they needed administrative, technological, media, pedagogical, online platform, software, wi-fi, and other types of support to teach online. Future researchers could conduct a longitudinal mixed-methods study investigating the specific supports, strategies, and resources that are the most effective to support teachers, students, and parents during a crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Engage me! A qualitative case study of student engagement using Microsoft teams in middle school

Many faculty were forced to teach online with inadequate training or resources, affecting student academic performance because of COVID-19. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive, embedded, single-site case study is to describe teaching online and the use of Microsoft Teams as a student engagement tool as perceived by the faculty in a rural middle school in North Carolina. This study explored how middle school teachers used Microsoft teams to engage students, perceived benefits and challenges, and best practices. Microsoft Teams was chosen because it was one of the most searched for online conference tools by educators during the pandemic. Questions were developed for an online survey, interviews, and a focus group. Data were collected from 19 teachers and administrators in one middle school. Using the adolescent community of engagement framework, interview data were analyzed with categorizing and connecting strategies. Findings indicated that teachers engaged students through MS Teams features of Livestream, chat box, recordings, student-teacher interaction, and class discussion. Using MS Teams included allowing students to be connected to the class, asking questions live, and allowing learning to continue during the pandemic, providing an emotionally safe environment. MS Teams provided interactive features of livestream and the chat box. The challenges of using MS Teams included unprepared teachers who had inadequate training, lacked time to plan and prepare and disengaged students. Students did not join livestreams because they had trouble logging in, navigating the tool, and attending was not required. Recommended practices include training teachers and students in using the features of MS Teams and incorporating interaction and collaboration into lessons. Future research could be repeated in another middle school in a non-pandemic environment in an online or hybrid course. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Personalized learning and teacher stress: A narrative of middle school teachers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

Personalized learning allows middle school teachers to design and adjust learning pathways for their students that recognize and respond to each student's interests, past achievements, and academic and social emotional needs. Teachers act as guides and partners in students' individualized educational journeys as they orchestrate differentiated learning options and timelines for their students within this instructional framework. The magnitude of the required time and effort to implement personalized learning can contribute to teachers' fluctuating levels of stress. This narrative case study sought to unveil suburban middle school teachers' unique experiences and perceptions about their levels of instructional autonomy, stress, and job satisfaction as they engaged in all aspects of personalizing learning for students. The teachers illustrated their experiences over several months through detailed revelations about specific locations, times, and their evolving emotions related to collegial and student interactions. The element of time, a central factor of the narrative, became an unexpectedly consequential influence in this study as it was undertaken during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The narrative resulting from the intimate reflections of the teachers when personalizing learning for students during the pandemic illuminates the teachers' typically cloaked lived experiences. The teachers' remarkable stories are delicately epitomized through three emergent themes: "It's all about the students," current stress is related to COVID-19 - not personalization, and "I love what I do.". (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Middle school teachers' perceptions of hybrid instruction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

This qualitative case study sought to uncover a deeper understanding of middle school teachers' perceptions of hybrid instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically as it related to the implementation, successes, challenges, and barriers. This study took place at a middle school in the suburbs of a Midwestern city. The data was derived from one-on-one virtual interviews with 10 tenured middle school teachers and with 5 of these teachers involved in a focus group using Zoom. The data analysis process unveiled four major themes: (a) Implementing hybrid instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging. Teachers lacked experience with hybrid teaching, and the implementation of this model during the pandemic negatively influenced the climate and culture of the school. Teachers also felt restricted by this model. (b) Technology enhanced the hybrid instruction experience. The use of technology is essential to successful hybrid instruction. Having a resident instructional technology expert positively contributed to the implementation of this model. Hybrid communication looks different from typical face-to-face communication. (c) Technology can be a challenge to successful hybrid instruction. Teachers had a difficult time building relationships in the hybrid format, student collaboration suffered, and lessons lacked spontaneity and creativity in the hybrid environment. (d) Teaching, using the hybrid model during the COVID-19 pandemic had major barriers, including the home learning environments of students and by the COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Recommendations include making time for teachers to learn best practices and attend professional development about hybrid instruction. Additionally, administrators should ensure that there are day-to-day instructional technology experts available to support teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The lived experience of novice teachers who chose to return to their middle school for their second year during COVID-19 pandemic

Between 40 and 50% of teachers will leave the profession within their first five years of teaching (Ingersoll & Smith, 2003). Factors such as teacher preparation, high stakes testing, mentoring support, student outcomes, monetary incentives, and administration play roles in this problem. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed traditional practices overnight, placing additional unexpected demands on teachers (Kim & Ashbury, 2020). The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of factors involved in teacher retention, and by taking a narrative inquiry approach to this phenomenon, gain an in-depth understanding of the factors that led to novice teachers choosing to return for a second year. The findings demonstrated that novice teachers did not have a paradigm with which to compare teaching outside of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, veteran teachers experienced greater difficulties coping with the pandemic than novice teachers. Nonetheless, novice teachers did experience stress which was mitigated by mentoring, support, and other experiences that have proven essential to the success of novice teachers. Many teachers chose to return because of the relationships they established on campus, the support from their administration, and their love of the students they taught. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Creating safe classroom learning spaces for students living in urban areas of poverty

The current pilot study introduced trauma-informed professional development for teachers in an urban, K-8, Title I public school prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Equipping middle school teachers with trauma knowledge and resources enabled them to modify their pedagogical approach to align better with students' emotional and academic needs shaped by living in poverty. Thematic analysis of qualitative data (i.e., 48 teacher journal entries, one focus group transcript) produced three overarching themes related to changes in teaching practices, student engagement, and classroom culture: (a) transforming to teach (i.e., teacher empathy, awareness, understanding of students' living conditions), (b) teaching to transform (i.e., teacher critical thinking about students' needs, reactions, and consequences), and (c) transforming to learn (student engagement, expressiveness, confidence). This study's findings highlight how middle school educators can effectively implement trauma-sensitive techniques in their classrooms to enhance safe learning spaces, student support, and classroom management for stress-affected young people. This study's university-community school partnership may offer a model for the design, structure, and resources necessary to implement classroom-level, trauma-informed professional development for Title I nonclinical middle school personnel. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Teachers' perceptions of online instruction during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

The current study was conducted to fill a gap in the literature regarding online instruction in K-12 settings in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, it aimed at gaining an understanding of the attitudes of teachers in Saudi Arabia towards online instruction and their readiness towards its implementation. It also sought to determine the teachers' perceived effectiveness of online instruction and the challenges they encountered in the Saudi K-12 context. An online survey was adapted to measure four scales: (a) attitudes toward online instruction, (b) the perceived effectiveness of online instruction, (c) the perceived readiness to implement online instruction, and (d) challenges of online instruction. The participants consisted of 584 teachers in the Saudi K-12 context who taught online during the COVID-19 pandemic, with varying years of teaching experience and training to teach online. The results of the survey were analyzed using a quantitative descriptive method. The findings indicate that Saudi K-12 teachers had a general positive attitude towards online instruction. It also revealed the teachers' readiness to implement online instruction despite the lack of training and previous online teaching experience. However, the Saudi teachers implied that they were undecided about the effectiveness of online instruction, especially when compared to in-person instruction. Implications and recommendations were proposed based on the results of the study, in addition to suggestions for future research regarding online instruction in K-12 settings in Saudi Arabia. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The status of technology integration in music classrooms and implications for technology training: A survey of K-12 music educators in four southeastern states

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the status of technology integration in K-12 music classrooms after the onset of Covid-19 across four states in the southeast. Music teachers in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi completed an online survey concerning their technology use, comfort levels with technology, training since the onset of Covid-19, and barriers to technology integration. Results of studies conducted before the onset of Covid-19 concerning technology integration in music classrooms demonstrated a slow increase in technology use. However, more studies emerging concerning technology in education since the onset of Covid-19 reveal a need for further training of pre-service and in-service educators to integrate technology into their instruction successfully.The Technology Usage and Integration Survey developed for this study was sent to music educators in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi through the National Association of Music Education Research Assistance Program. In addition, emails sent to the leadership of the music educators associations for each state concerning further disseminating the survey to their membership resulted in 58 total participants. Results revealed an increase in the use of and comfort level with technology specific to distance learning such as recording equipment, video conferencing software, online platforms, interactive websites, and apps for tablet devices after the onset of Covid-19. Most training the respondents received was either from their school district or from independent research. The results have implications for the effectiveness of training for educators who need to become comfortable with using technology during their instruction and will contribute to the continued conversation about the importance of technology training for pre-service and in-service music educators. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)