Adaptation to distance learning and socioemotional competencies of Portuguese teachers/educators in COVID-19 lockdown.

Abstract

This research aimed to characterize the ability to adapt to distance learning and the socioemotional skills of teachers and kindergarten educators in the first period of confinement due to COVID-19, as well as to investigate the influence of individual and socio-professional factors on these personal competencies. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study, with a mixed methodology of data analysis. A mixed online questionnaire was applied, with some closed and open questions, including the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale previously validated for the Portuguese adult population, as well as several questions of sociodemographic characterization and others related to the teachers’ perception of adaptation to distance learning. The sample included a total of 302 teachers / educators (245 women and 57 men), predominantly in the age groups 41-50 (43.7%) and 51-60 years (38.1%) and secondary education level (27.8%). The dimension of emotional competence in which teachers/educators registered the lowest average was emotion regulation (M=3.21). For working at a distance, difficulties related to mastering technologies, students and teaching methods were highlighted. Without significant differences according to the level of education, difficulties in emotion regulation were noted in all groups, concluding that this problem tended to affect all teachers / educators globally.