Physical Sciences Teachers' Experiences of Online Teaching During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The inspiration for this article came from the researchers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Determining how physical sciences are taught and learned in high schools in the Amajuba District of KwaZulu-Natal was the goal of the research. The study used mixed-method approaches, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques to explore the phenomenon. Learners and educators involved in teaching and studying physical sciences were the target demographic for this study. There were three stages to the data gathering, wherein the first stage, the quantitative data, was collected from one hundred and twenty (120) teachers through a structured closed-ended questionnaire. In the second stage, the qualitative data was collected from ten (10) physical sciences teachers through in-depth interviews. For the teachers/qualitative approach, the interview guide and open-ended questions were used, and a face-to-face in-depth interview was conducted. In stage three, a series of documents were reviewed and analysed. The study's findings showed that 40% of the participants performed online lessons during the COVID-19 era at their schools using social media platforms, and 35.5% of the respondents mentioned using Google learning platforms. 75.8% of the respondents noted that they face challenges associated with online learning and teaching, and only 24.2% of them stated that they are not facing any challenges related to online learning and teaching. This study recommended that South African high schools provide their employees with training programmes on online instruction. These programmes will give educators a chance to learn the necessary e-teaching skills.