Perceived Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning in RuralAreas of Central Kansas

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and impacted the typical deliverymethods of instruction in Kansas beginning March of 2020. The purpose of this mixedmethods convergent design study was to addresses the impact of a global pandemic onrural central Kansas public education. The purposes included examining educatorperceptions of teaching prior to the pandemic and subsequent impact on studentachievement, educator perceptions of teaching during the pandemic, and subsequentimpact on student achievement, and the impact of the requirements from state and localgoverning bodies on instruction, preparation, and stress of educators and students duringthe COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the quantitative portion included survey responsesfrom 82 educators showed statistically significant differences, and the qualitative portionincluded interviews from seven administrators which supported the findings andperceptions of survey respondents. The results from the COVID-19 impacted educationduring the 2020-2021 school year in rural Kanas as educators altered their instructionalstrategies usage as well as their perceptions of the profession. The decrease in usage ofGregory and Parry’s instructional strategies was statistically significant while there wasan increase in technology usage. This increase was determined to be a large effect sizedifference from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, during in person instruction