Virtual Class Management Experiences of Teachers


Uçar R., Acar C.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, cilt.9, ss.1085-1098, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

This study aims to investigate the virtual class management experiences of teachers. The research was designed by adopting a qualitative research approach. The maximum variation sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods, was used while determining the study group of the research. In this context, interviews were conducted with 18 teachers working in different years of seniority, different branches, and different school types. Semi-structured interview form was used as a data collecting tool. Research data were analyzed by using the descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, it is seen that teachers plan in advance in virtual classrooms, they include preparation, method, technique, and equipment determination activities in this context, and they prefer EBA, zoom, WhatsApp, and Skype while doing their lessons. To ensure communication and interaction, the participants included activities such as asking questions to the students, informing them before the lesson, monitoring their participation in the lesson, and opening the microphone. Participants have seen things like more than one student talking at the same time, students not looking at the screen, students talking to each other, noise from the environment during the class, etc. The participants observed multiple students talking at once, a student looking away from the screen, students discussing among themselves, background noise during class, and other undesirable behaviors. Teachers take precautions such as turning off student microphones, activating students, determining rules, turning on all microphones, and informing students and parents in advance of undesirable behaviors. It has been concluded that the participants attach importance to planning and preparation studies to manage time effectively, and that they motivate students sometimes by using internal factors and sometimes by external factors. Based on the study's findings, it has been suggested that virtual classrooms differ from physical classrooms, so teachers should be given virtual classroom management training. Various programs that allow for more interaction with virtual classrooms should be introduced to teachers.