University teachers facing academic lockdown: an exploratory analysis

Abstract

This study utilizes a qualitative methodology with an exploratory approach to know the implications of life in confinement for a group of college teachers. Data were gathered through ten semi-structured interviews by videoconference conducted with young teachers working in public and private institutions in the state of Nuevo León in Mexico. The sample included five women and five men. Data suggested three dimensions that described teachers’ experiences: professional implications, personal implications, and passion for teaching. Among these categories, eight categories emerged, including the new modality, problems, changes, flexibility, Covid-19, consequences, opportunities and the teaching work. The study acknowledges that even when the main changes due to confinement were made in the professional area, theis implications were not limited to teaching, but transcended their personal life. In addition, participating in the migration to a virtual mode allowed teachers to reassess their importance in the society. This research sought to learn about the professional and personal experiences of teachers who moved to a non-face-to-face modality due to the pandemic, and invites other key actors such as students and administrators to share their experiences around confinement.

Keywords:
Qualitative research; Covid-19; Confinement; Teachers; Emergency Remote Teaching