Change in the digital competence of teachers in the diaspora during the lockdown caused by the pandemic

Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic is seen in all areas, which, besides the healthcare system, is extremely strong in the field of education, and supplementary schools operating in the diaspora have not been untouched, either. In several cases, closures prohibited face-to-face education for longer or shorter periods and necessitated a switch to online teaching. Our cross-sectional, exploratory study focused on the online pedagogical practice of teachers working in Hungarian supplementary schools of the diaspora. We wished to capture how the pandemic affected the practices of supplementary schools in the diaspora, and how the teachers there were able to adapt to the changed situation. The questionnaires included in the analysis were completed in 17 different countries on five continents (n=46). The responses show that the sudden change in working patterns caught the teachers in the diaspora unprepared. In the pandemic situation, teachers had to find new ICT tools. To maintain attention, interest and motivation during online education, a variety of illustrations and action were necessary, which were directly proportional to the different tools involved. Despite the difficulties, it can be said overall that although digital teaching in this form is a work pattern born out of necessity, it contributed to the development of teachers’ digital competencies and to the broadening of their methodological repertoire. Incorporating new knowledge and skills acquired during the pandemic into the teaching-learning process in the post-pandemic period can contribute to the increase of teachers’ effectiveness and students’ achievement.