The COVID-19 Pandemic as a catalyst for teacher pedagogical and technological innovation and development: Teachers’ perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on schools around the world with many forced to suspend in-person classes. This has meant teachers have been required to find ways to continue teaching remotely. Remote teaching requires specific and extended skills and knowledge from those required in the in-person classroom. This two-stage qualitative-dominant sequential mixed-method study, using a survey of Hong Kong primary and secondary school English language teachers (N = 73) and follow-up interviews (N = 10), collectively explores teachers’ readiness for using digital technologies before the pandemic, how they have innovated and professionally developed throughout the pandemic, and what impact the pandemic has had on their pedagogical and technological development. The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for teacher innovation and development. Teachers went through a three-phase period of innovation as they responded to the school closures and adjusted to the new digital environment. To support their innovation, teachers engaged in both school and teacher-initiated professional development. The findings have theoretical implications, proposing a model to explore innovation during times of crisis, “Phases of Innovation in Response to Crisis Process”. They also have practical implications, providing examples of innovations adopted by teachers during this period of radical change.