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People who experienced remote learning first-hand were more likely to have a more positive perception of teachers ’ work .
A different view
Survey reveals shift in public ’ s appreciation of teachers after pandemic .
By Dallas Bastian
Australians have sounded off on how their view of teachers has changed after the pandemic – and four in 10 say it has improved .
The Monash University survey canvassed the views of just over 1000 Australians . It showed that 41.6 per cent of Australians felt that their perceptions of teachers ’ work improved as a direct result of COVID-19 , of which 7 per cent felt “ much more positive ”.
“ 2020 is a year like no other and I think teaching was inspirational ,” one participant said .
That view wasn ’ t shared by all who took part in the survey – around one in 10 people felt their perceptions of teachers ’ work was more negative , while just under half of respondents said their opinion hadn ’ t changed at all .
Dr Fiona Longmuir , from Monash ’ s Faculty of Education , said the team ’ s findings showed a correlation between respondents who had a school-aged child at home and more positive perceptions of teachers ’ work during COVID-19 .
“ This suggests that people who experienced remote learning firsthand were more likely to have a more positive perception of teachers ’ work as a result .”
Longmuir added the burden of increased workloads and administrative tasks outside the classroom continued to be a concern and pointed to a 2019 Monash study that found 75 per cent of teachers reported that their workloads were not manageable .
“ Teacher workload is a very important issue to address both to support the wellbeing of the teachers that are doing such important work , as the pandemic highlighted , and also to ensure that we attract and retain great teachers into the future .”
The team ’ s newest survey also asked the public about their views on modes of schooling in the wake of the pandemic .
Three-quarters surveyed were supportive of a flexible study model , where students have the option to take online classes , and just over half ( 56.7 per cent ) agreed that the shift to remote schooling during COVID-19 was successful .
One respondent said : “ Some students are independent workers and some are not . All forms of education should be available to suit all students .”
Nine in 10 said it was important for students from low socio-economic households to be provided with subsidised or free access to laptops and other devices necessary to complete their schoolwork at home .
Longmuir said it was important to be open-minded when it comes to schooling options .
“ Last year showed that different learning options suit different students ,” she said . “ We know that some students thrived when learning from home and others really struggled . The opinions of participants surveyed and observations of the experiences of students in 2020 suggest that the typical model of learning in classrooms does not have to be the only option offered to students .” ■
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