K-12 SASKATCHEWAN DISTANCE EDUCATION: DIGGING DEEPER INTO 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOMS DURING A PANDEMIC

Abstract

Distance education has the ability to augment Kindergarten-Grade 12 (K-12) education in Saskatchewan by reducing the barriers and challenges currently presented in public education, especially during the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore the educational opportunities faced by public school K-12 Saskatchewan learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this exploratory qualitative study, insider action research was used to gather experiences and perceptions of 16 K-12 Saskatchewan public school educators through email interviews. Participants were recruited through social media and invitation through the 18 Saskatchewan public school divisions. An email interview was shared including 10 open-ended questions developed from the researcher’s Conceptual Framework for Distance Education in K-12 Saskatchewan. Participant responses, along with field notes, were coded using NVivo software, focusing on the themes of the Conceptual Framework. The researcher completed a Force Field Analysis (FFA) to identify factors or forces that influenced, drove, or impeded change for K-12 distance education in Saskatchewan during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these findings, Action Plan items were identified to improve K-12 distance education in Saskatchewan: 1) Decrease the Digital Divide; 2) Provide adequate and relevant professional learning for educators; 3) Increase post-secondary experiences for new educators; 4) Educate educational leaders about the complex world of online learning; and 5) Provide parents with more opportunities to learn more about distance education. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) and the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework were used to support these recommendations. These recommendations lay groundwork for future insider action research. This research will contribute to what is currently a relatively small research base in K-12 distance education applications and will provide direction for change in the field of K-12 distance education.