Abstract:
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, special education (sped) teachers are struggling to transition from the traditional face-to-face special education setting into a distance education setting especially for students with significant disabilities. Amidst the plethora of studies regarding teaching practices during the Covid-19 pandemic, literature is scarce when it comes to investigating SPED teachers' lived experiences while employing distance learning modalities in the Philippine setting. This study is in conjunction with Social Constructionism in understanding the new reality brought about by the phenomenon. This transcendental phenomenology study aims to understand the essence of the lived experiences of eight special education teachers, who were purposively selected, from the Department of Education in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Employing a thematic analysis approach, this study revealed sped teachers' beliefs on focusing on what really matters, the feelings of frustration, empathy, and altruism. The interpretation of these four themes in the context of the participants' experiences contributes to the educational and practical implications in special education practice. Recommendations for future studies are also presented in this study.
Page(s):
271-278
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Science International, Volume: 33, Issue: 4, Year: 2021
Keywords:
Phenomenological study
,
selflearning modules
,
social constructionism
,
distance learning modalities
,
Department of Education Sped Teachers in the Philippines