Home⇛Augustinian⇛vol. 24 no. 1 (2023)

Narrative Inquiry of Special Education Teachers’ Teaching-Learning Experiences in Times of Emergencies

Joann Marie M. Salonzo | Frank S. Embultora | Ma. Cecilia D. Alimen

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study aimed to have an in-depth understanding of the experiences of Special Education teachers in Iloilo engaged in caring for children with special needs during emergencies. Their narratives focused on their experiences and practices, including their difficulties and problems. This study investigated teachers' practices on the necessary soft skills of the 21st century. The study was conducted from September to December school year 2021-2022. The participants were ten (10) public and private special education teachers in the city and province of Iloilo with teaching experience of at least two years and currently teaching during the pandemic. A semi-structured interview, focus group discussion, and photo elicitation was utilized. Data analysis followed the thematic analysis or the "clothesline method," where data were transcribed and coded to identify patterns and themes. Narratives revealed experiences and practices during the time of emergency, which brought insights into the seven soft skills mentioned by Fernandes, Jardim & Lopez (2021), patience, understanding, flexibility, empathy, and creativity together with modalities: difficulties in the preparation of materials, technology, and assessments with a total of seven (7) themes. Results further revealed that the most evident soft skill was empathy, a deep sense of feeling about the situation, concern for others, and flexibility. Creativity is also observed during the pandemic. On the teaching practices, the modular type prevailed, although online learning was seen as ideal. The problems and difficulties could have been better logistics, better connectivity, lack of training on online modalities, and accurate assessment of pupils' performance. It has been shown in the narratives that special education teachers revealed many flexible ways and methods to deliver quality education to the students.



References:

  1. Álvarez-Arregui E, Pérez-Navío E, González-Fernández R, & Rodríguez-Martín A. (2021). Pedagogical leaders and the teaching—learning processes in COVID-19 times. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 18(15):7731. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157731
  2. Bağcı, H., & Bağcı, Ö. A. (2020). Special education candidate teachers’ metaphors about social media. International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies. 7(2),185–194. https://doi.org/10.17220/ijpes.2020.02.017   
  3. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.84.2.191
  4. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Qualitative research in psychology. pp. 77–101. ISSN 1478–0887. http://crispindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/using-thematic-analysis-in-psychology.pdf
  5. Carter, N., Bryant-Lukosius, D., Dicenso, A., Blythe, J., & Neville, A. J. (2014). The use of triangulation in qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(5), 545–547. https://doi.org/10.1188/14.ONF.545-547
  6. Chamorro-Premuzic, T., Arteche, A., Bremner, A.J., Greven, C., & Furnham, A. (2010). Soft skills in higher education: Importance and improvement ratings as a function of individual differences and academic performance. Educ. Psychol 30, 221–241.
  7. Cook, B.G., & Schirmer, B.R. (2003). What is special about special education? Overview and analysis. J. Spec. Educ., 200–205.
  8. Dantas, D. C. L. (2012). A inclusão de pessoas com deficiência intelectual na educação de jovens e of people with intellectual disabilities in youth and adult education YAE: A case study]. [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation]. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
  9.  Demir, S. B., & Pismek, N. (2018). A convergent parallel mixed-methods study of controversial issues in social studies classes: A clash of ideologies. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 18(1), 119-149.
  10. Doyle, A. (2019). What does a special education teacher do? Live About. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/special-education-teacher-job-2061834 
  11. Tabasa, J. J. N., Delgado, N. B., Ariz, D. G. S., & Emboltura, F. S. (2021, September 6). An ethnographic study on socio-emotional learning program under the COVID-19 pandemic: Teachers’ perspective [Conference presentation]. The 7th Ratchasuda Virtual International Conference on Disability 2021, Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, Thailand
  12. Fernandes, P. R. D. S., Jardim, J., & Lopes, M. C. D. S. (2021). The soft skills of special educationteachers: Evidence from the literature. Education Sciences, 11(3), 125.
  13. Francisco, M. P. B., Hartman, M., & Wang, Y. (2020). Inclusion and special education. Education Sciences, 10(9), 238.
  14. Fontana, A., & Frey, J. H. (2000). The interview: From structured questions to negotiated text. In N. K. Denzin, & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 645-672). Sage.
  15. Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S., & Smith, L. T. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of critical and indigenous methodologies. Sage.
  16. Glaw, X., Inder, K., Kable, A., & Hazelton, M. (2017). Visual methodologies in qualitative research: Autophotography and photo elicitation applied to mental health research. International journal of qualitative methods, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917748215
  17. Hebebci, M. T., Bertiz, Y., & Alan, S. (2020). Investigation of views of students and teachers on distance education practices during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 4(4), 267-282.
  18. Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard evidence on soft skills. Labour economics, 19(4), 451-464.
  19. Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies. (2010). Minimum standards for education: Preparedness, response, recovery. ERIC Clearinghouse.
  20. Kolb, D. A. (2007). The Kolb learning style inventory. Hay Resources Direct.
  21. Leitei, G.G., & Perez Campos, J.A. (2021). Pedagogical conceptions and practices of youth and adult education teachers in the inclusion of students with intellectual disability. European Journal of Special Education Research, 7(2), 17–36.
  22. Masters, J. (1995) 'The History of Action Research' in I. Hughes (ed) Action Research Electronic Reader, The University of Sydney, on-line http://www.behs.cchs.usyd.edu.au/arow/Reader/rmasters.htm
  23. McLeod, S. (2017). Kolb's learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply psychology, 5. Prentice-Hall; ISBN: 0132952610. https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html
  24. Mishra, L. (2016). Focus group discussion in qualitative research. TechnoLearn: An International Journal of Educational Technology, 6(1), 1-5.
  25. Morgan, D.L. (1996). Focus groups. Annual Review of Sociology, 22, 129–152
  26. Moss, I. R., Sugarman, L. M., & Goode, D. L. (1987). Endogenous opioid effect on breathing during normoxia and hypoxia in developing swine. Neonatology, 52(6), 337-346. Hutchinson, S. M., & Rothwell, J. J. (2008). Mobilisation of sediment-associated  metals from historical Pb working sites on the River Sheaf, Sheffield, UK. Environmental pollution, 155(1), 61-71.
  27. Peltier, T. K., Washburn, E. K., Pulos, J. M., & Peltier, C. (2020). Measuring special education preservice teachers' knowledge, reflective ability, and tutored student outcomes on foundational literacy skills. Insights into Learning Disabilities, 17(1), 1-33.
  28. Pickle, G., Holzinger A., & Kopp-Sixt, S. (2015). The special education teacher between the priorities of inclusion and specialization. Int. J. Incl. Educ., 20, 828–843.
  29. Pletsch, M. D., & Glat, R. (2012). A escolarização de alunos com deficiência intelectual: uma análise da aplicação do Plano de Desenvolvimento Educacional Individualizado. Linhas críticas, 193-208.
  30. Pollock, T. (2019). The difference between structured, unstructured & semi-structured interviews. Oliver Sparks Blog. https://www.oliverparks.com/blog-news/the-difference-between-structured-unstructured-amp-semi-structured-interviews
  31. Sabayleh, O. A., & Alramamneh, A. K. (2020). Obstacles of implementing educational techniques in special education centres from autism teachers' perspective. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 15(2), 171-183.
  32. Sagor, R. (2000). Guiding school improvement with action research. Valerie Sprague Desktop Publisher. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=OgRRBAAAQBAJ&lpg=PR2&pg=PR2#v=onepage&q&f=false
  33. Shaw, D. (2013). A new look at an old research method: photo‐elicitation. Tesol Journal, 4(4), 785-799.
  34. Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Beyond IQ: A triarchic theory of human intelligence. CUP Archive.
  35. Streett, S. (1996) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 19 U.. Rev. 35. Journal of University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review. http://lawrepository.ualr.edu/lawreview/vol19/iss1/2
  36. Tian, Y., & Zhang, J. (2021). Employment discrimination analysis of library and information science based on entity recognition. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(2), 102325.
  37. Telli, S. G., & Altun, D. (2020). Coronavirüs ve çevrimiçi (online) eğitimin önlenemeyen yükselişi. Üniversite Araştırmaları Dergisi, 3(1), 25-34.
  38. Touloumakos, A. K. (2020). Expanded yet restricted: A mini review of the soft skills literature. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 568111.
  39. Trentin, V. B., & Raitz, T. R. (2018). Educação e trabalho: formação profissional para jovens com deficiência intelectual na escola especial. Revista Educação Especial, 31(62), 713-725.
  40. Vygotsky, L. S., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University press.
  41. Zhang, A. (2012). Peer assessment of soft skills and hard skills. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 11(1), 155-168.

Tools


Copyright © 2025  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic