"Everybody Is Their Own Island": Teacher Disconnection in a Virtual School
ARTICLE
Abigail Hawkins, Charles R. Graham, Brigham Young University, United States ; Michael K. Barbour, Wayne State University, United States
IRRODL Volume 13, Number 2, ISSN 1492-3831 Publisher: Athabasca University Press
Abstract
Virtual schooling is a recent phenomenon in K-12 online learning. As such, the roles of the online teachers are emerging and differ from those of the traditional classroom teacher. Using qualitative interviews of eight virtual high school teachers, this study explored teachers' perceptions of their online teaching role. Teachers expressed a sense of disconnection from their students, the profession, and their peers as a result of limited interactions due to significant institutional barriers. Researchers discuss the implications of this disconnection as well as future avenues for research.
Citation
Hawkins, A., Graham, C.R. & Barbour, M.K. (2012). "Everybody Is Their Own Island": Teacher Disconnection in a Virtual School. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13(2), 123-144. Athabasca University Press. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/54573/.
Keywords
- barriers
- educational technology
- electronic learning
- High Schools
- online courses
- Peer Relationship
- Secondary School Teachers
- teacher attitudes
- teacher collaboration
- Teacher Role
- Teacher Student Relationship
- Virtual Classrooms
- Virtual schooling; K-12 online learning; online teaching; teacher-student interaction; disconnection