Exploration of the Impact of Connectivist Distance Education (DE) Pedagogy on Teacher Well-being

Aneen Lamble

The disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic forced teachers worldwide to shift to emergency remote teaching (ERT). This shift compounded existing stressors within the teaching profession, revealing the challenges of teaching exclusively online. There is limited research exploring how Distance Education (DE) teachers conceptualise and navigate factors impacting their professional and personal well-being in light of the longstanding issue of declining teacher well-being (TWB) in Australia. This qualitative study investigated the factors that impact DE TWB at an independent DE school in Western Australia (WA) which implements a connectivist pedagogy. This study also explored how the enrolment of neurodiverse students (NDS) impacted DE teachers’ job satisfaction and well-being. Guided by a constructivist and pragmatic methodological framework and Siemens's theory of connectivism as theoretical frameworks, this research examined how and to what extent the factors of autonomy, diversity, openness and connectedness operated within a DE teacher community and ultimately impacted DE TWB. Participant perspectives were gathered through interviews with ten DE teachers experienced in both traditional and DE settings. The findings revealed four key themes impacting TWB and job satisfaction: supportive and approachable leadership, a connected collegial community, teacher-student connections and relationships, and teacher proficiency and confidence in technology use. Sub-themes highlighted varied impacts on teachers' experiences, such as the benefits of peer connection and impacts of professional isolation. The research findings also showed that DE teachers face unique challenges in navigating student – teacher relationships in a DE environment, with the additional complexity of teaching a higher percentage of NDS in DE classes. This study contributes to developing a nuanced understanding of the experiences of DE teachers teaching in connectivist online environments. It includes practical recommendations for school policymakers and leaders to enhance TWB and promote sustainable practices in online education. Keywords: distance education, connectivism, teacher well-being, COVID-19

Exploration of the Impact of Connectivist Distance Education (DE) Pedagogy on Teacher Well-being

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