A Balancing Act During Covid-19: Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Perception of Stress in the Distance Learning Experience

Abstract

One of the many drastic changes caused by Covid-19 was the quick implementation of distance learning which represented a great technological challenge to many teachers and students. In fact, Italy ranks 24th amongst the 27-EU member countries in digital competitiveness which testifies to the significant delays and gaps in basic digital skills amongst the population. Based on the difficulties encountered in organizing distance learning, we assumed that teachers' perceived stress increased. Given that transversal skills can be associated with this relationship, we hypothesized that among these skills, self-efficacy mediated the relationship between the difficulties in organizing distance learning and perceived stress. Since we targeted teachers from Italy and other European countries, we also hypothesized that this mediator effect would be different for both samples. Our sample was composed of a total of 366 primary/middle school teachers of which 86% female. After doing a mediation analyses with Process, Hayes' Model 4, we confirmed H1 but not H2: resulting in a partial mediation effect of self-efficacy for each individual group of teachers. Since difficulties of distance learning can affect the perception of stress, we believe that the promotion of transversal skills, such as self-efficacy, can better equip teachers when facing stressful situations.

Mindfulness as Moderator Against Emotional Exhaustion Due to Online Teaching During COVID-19 Pandemic: An Investigation Using Job Demands-Resources Model and Conservation of Resource Theory

“…Besides these direct impacts, indirect effects of JD-OT and JR-OT on EE with PIE as mediator (H4a and H4b, respectively) revealed by the empirical results were in agreement with the mediation effect of PIE previously reported ( Huang et al, 2019 ; Rabaglietti et al, 2021 ). In summary, JD-OT undermines PIE but contribute to EE.…”

“…Using the JD-R model, Huang et al (2019) observed mediating effects of teacher self-efficacy on the relationship between the emotional JD of teaching and well-being of primary school teachers in Hong Kong. Rabaglietti et al (2021) found partial mediation effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between difficulties in organizing distance learning during the pandemic and perceived stress among teachers from European countries. Taken together, these results evidenced the important mediating role of self-efficacy on both positive and negative feelings of teachers in the teaching environment.…”

Adjustment to COVID-19 Lockdown Among Italian University Students: The Role of Concerns, Change in Peer and Family Relationships and in Learning Skills, Emotional, and Academic Self-Efficacy on Depressive Symptoms

“…Our findings suggest that it is necessary for teachers to implement remote learning while maintaining stimulating activities and promoting social contacts, even if virtual, to support students' motivation and promote their self-efficacy beliefs. These objectives are difficult to achieve in an emergency condition, but they must be considered in planning future academic activities in the post-COVID-19 period (Nguyen et al, 2021;Rabaglietti et al, 2021). In particular, in view of a gradual resumption of a new "normality, " it will be important that remote learning and teaching processes will be planned according to the recommendations on online learning indicated in literature (Kearns, 2012).…”

Effects of College Students’ Perceived Stress on Anxiety in the Time of COVID-19: The Chain Mediation Role of Psychological Resilience and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy

“…Individuals can evaluate whether a life event causes stress to themselves only by giving stimulus events a certain meaning through the evaluation process of perception. Perceived stress is a subjective response to specific stress [13]. Psychological research has shown that various stimulus events and unfavorable factors in life can cause psychological confusion or threats to people.…”