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The Negative Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Middle School Teachers and Their
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institutions to switch to remote or online learning. Concerns were raised about this abrupt change
regarding the negative impact on middle school learners. It is crucial to research the negative
effects of online or remote learning for middle school pupils as a result of the COVID-19
epidemic. This will enable the creation of evidence-based solutions by understanding the
achievement, looking at social and emotional well-being, and addressing equity and accessibility
concerns. This article presents a methodological approach to conducting this crucial study.
Research Questions
1. What were the challenges encountered by middle school teachers and their students while
2. What were the short- and long-term negative effects of remote learning on middle school
teachers and students, and how could the school districts have prevented or lessened these
effects?
3. Why were middle school teachers and their students unable to cover the state-mandated
curriculum for Grades 5-8 during the pandemic, and what measures were taken to counteract the
Research Design
Research Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods which is an approach that
employs inductive and deductive reasoning strategies to completely describe and explain the
examined phenomena from a variety of angles. This paradigm incorporates data both during the
collection and analysis processes. The sort of design chosen employs several designs from mixed
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techniques at various points in the research process. Since the investigation is based on a semi-
structured questionnaire that includes closed items with open-ended questions, it will thus begin
with a convergent, concurrent/embedded design. The interviews and open-ended questions in the
questionnaire make up the qualitative portion, which is the main component. The remaining
components are represented by the quantitative survey results (Popa et al., 2021, p. 4). The
online teaching and learning procedures will be evaluated using qualitative approaches, and the
results of the online teaching and learning will be evaluated using quantitative methods.
Sampling: The middle school pupils in the United States who switched to online learning during
Sample Size: The number of participating schools and the viability of data collection will
determine the sample size. To achieve accurate statistical analysis and adequately represent a
Methods of gathering data: Online surveys will be used to get quantitative information. Students'
challenges, academic achievement metrics, social and emotional well-being, and accessibility
issues will all be covered in the questionnaires. There will be open-ended questions
with multiple-choice.
Before collecting data, the relevant institutional review board will be consulted on ethical
considerations. Parents or legal guardians of participants and participants will be asked for their
informed permission. The participants' privacy and confidentiality will be maintained at all times
Setting
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The primary setting for data gathering will be the online learning environment. The
middle school pupils that made the switch to online learning during the COVID-19 outbreak will
be the main subject of this American study. The survey will include several schools from diverse
national geographic locations. The research attempts to obtain a thorough understanding of the
Purposive sampling will be used during the school selection process to ensure that there
is representation from a range of educational environments. With this strategy, schools with
various resources, different levels of infrastructure, and student populations will be included,
Participants
Middle school students: The main participants in this study will be middle school pupils who
sample, a wide range of pupils from various middle schools around the United States will be
included.
Teachers: Participants will also include educators who supported middle school students' online
learning during the epidemic. These educators will share insightful information on the
difficulties they had when instructing in an online setting, their observations of students'
experiences, and their opinions regarding the drawbacks of online learning. To ensure diversity
in topic areas and levels of teaching experience, teachers will be chosen among the participating
schools.
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Other Stakeholders: Depending on the study's goals and the resources at hand, other stakeholders
who are participating in the online learning process may be considered. Parents or guardians of
middle school kids, educators, and policymakers may all be included in this group of
stakeholders. Their viewpoints can help shape policy-making and decision-making processes and
offer insightful information on the overall effects of online learning on middle school pupils.
A Legal Guardian: Informed permission will be sought from legal guardians before participation,
ensuring that they are participating voluntarily in the study. Participants will be given the
assurance that their answers will be kept secret and anonymous, and strong security measures
Measurement
Likert-Scale Inquiries: Students will rate how difficult it is for them to stay motivated, obtain
resources, and adjust to online learning. The survey questionnaire might have items with a Likert
scale to gauge participants' perspectives, attitudes, and experiences with online learning. Using a
predetermined Likert scale, participants may be asked to score how much they agree or disagree
with a series of items. Participants might be asked to score how much they concur with claims
like "Online learning has negatively impacted my academic performance". The Likert scale
normally has five or seven possible responses, with the alternatives "Strongly Disagree,"
Likert-Scale for Data Analysis: Following the gathering of survey data, responses on the Likert
scale may be examined to determine the distribution and central tendency of respondents'
perceptions. Insights into the general patterns and variability in participant responses may be
gained via descriptive statistics, such as computing the mean and standard deviation. Inferential
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statistics can also be used to investigate the connections between Likert-scale items and other
relevant factors, such as academic success or well-being. These techniques include correlation
Likert-Scale for Reporting and Interpretation: The study findings can be used to describe and
understand the outcomes of the Likert-scale analysis. For each Likert-scale item, the mean scores
or proportions and accompanying measures of variability can be shown. The direction, size, and
any notable patterns or variations across subgroups or factors should all be taken into account
It is crucial to remember that the Likert scale is a subjective measuring instrument, thus
care should be taken while interpreting the findings. (Roy, 2020, p. 12) states that “Likert scale
show participants' views and opinions, which can be impacted by a variety of things like
personal biases or the context of the incident.” It is crucial to carefully construct the
questionnaire items, guarantee clarity in the statements, and perform pilot testing to evaluate
achievement, such as grades, test results, and attendance statistics, will be gathered. These
objective evaluations will offer insightful data on students' academic performance during online
learning time. To access these documents, school officials or pertinent staff will be approached,
with the pupils' information being private and discreet at all times and inquire opinions on issues
including:
Students' struggles and experiences with online learning, detailing particular issues they had and
Teachers' views and perceptions of their students' participation, drive, and academic
Perceptions of students' social and emotional state while pursuing online education.
Data Analysis: The gathered information will be thoroughly examined using the right methods,
such as quantitative analysis for survey results and qualitative analysis for interview transcripts.
Validity
The survey questionnaire and interview protocols will be carefully created to contain all
relevant details associated with the study objectives in order to ensure content validity. The items
and questions will be created after carefully examining the body of prior literature and talking to
professionals in the fields of education and online learning. In order to verify that the measuring
instruments effectively capture the targeted structures, pilot testing, and expert input will be
requested.
Examining the connections between the measuring instruments and the theoretical
constructs they are meant to assess can help demonstrate the construct validity. Dixon &
Johnston, (2019) states that “Considerable thinking and a strong argument in the Instruments
serve as the foundation for the majority of the construct validity evidence” (p. 10). The interview
and survey questions will be written in a way that is consistent with accepted theories and
conceptual frameworks about the negative impacts of online learning on middle school pupils.
The dimensionality and structure of the constructs may be evaluated using statistical methods
Reliability
Measures of reliability, such as Cronbach's alpha coefficient, will be included in the survey
questionnaire for questions measuring the same construct to guarantee internal consistency and
reliability. According to Kilic, (2016), Cronbach's alpha is a method for evaluating reliability.
through shared variation comparison in items that make up the instruments (p. 12). High-
reliability coefficients show that the items are consistently testing the concept. When poor
reliability is seen, the measuring tool's internal consistency can be increased by revising or
reliability will be taken into account. Clear rules and regulations will be created to guarantee
uniformity in the methods used to gather data and the coding systems used. The research team
will hold regular meetings and discussions to resolve any disagreements and guarantee
participants twice. To assess the consistency and stability of the measuring instrument over time,
the results will be compared using statistical methods such as the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Data Collection
Pilot Testing: A period of pilot testing will be carried out prior to the real data collection. This
entails pre-testing the interview and survey methods with a small sample of respondents to find
out whether there are any possible problems, such as unclear questions or the need for
explanations. Hassan et al., (2006) state that it is important to carry out a pilot test to evaluate a
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study's viability and pinpoint any issues with the research (p. 10). Thus, the data-collecting
Online questionnaires will be given to middle school pupils in order to gather quantitative
data. The study goals and the components being measured will guide the design of the survey
questionnaire. In order to distribute the questionnaires, internet survey platforms or systems for
schools will be used. Participants will get detailed instructions on how to finish the surveys, and
Interviews: All participants, including middle school students and instructors, will be the subject
of in-depth interviews. The interviews will take place over the phone or using video
conferencing software. In order to organize the interviews and guarantee uniformity across
students' perspectives, experiences, and difficulties with online learning, the interviews will also
examine the teachers' observations and viewpoints of the student's involvement, drive, and
academic development. With the participants' permission, the interviews will be audio-recorded
Data Analysis
Descriptive Statistics: To describe the quantitative data gathered through surveys and academic
revealing any patterns or trends, this will give a basic summary of the data.
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Inferential Statistics: To analyze the links between variables and confirm the effects of online
learning on middle school student's academic progress and well-being, inferential statistical
techniques, such as regression and correlation analysis, will be used. Correlation analysis, for
instance, may be used to investigate the relationships between different variables, such as the
connection between academic achievement and challenges with online learning. Regression
analysis may be used to evaluate how different variables, such as teacher support or access to
comparisons, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), may be carried out. According to Connelly
(2021), ANOVA is a statistical procedure used to examine variations between the means (or
averages) of several groups (p. 10). For instance, comparing the academic success of kids from
Thematic Analysis: When analyzing qualitative data, which entails finding themes and patterns
in textual or narrative data, thematic analysis is frequently utilized. However, a different strategy
is required to examine the data for this research study because it predominantly employs
quantitative data. Since thematic analysis does not include finding themes or patterns within
Instead, proper statistical approaches will be used in this study's quantitative data
analysis. These might include group comparisons and descriptive statistics (Sharifi, 2022, p. 5).
The quantitative information gathered from surveys and academic performance assessments will
be summarized and described using descriptive statistics. To give a summary of the data, it will
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be necessary to compute measurements of central tendency (such as mean and median) and
Triangulation: Triangulation can be used in the context of quantitative data analysis to increase
the validity of the findings by utilizing several data sources, metrics, or viewpoints. The
following are ways triangulation may be used in this study's quantitative data analysis:
Multiple Data Sources: To offer a thorough understanding of the research subject, triangulation
may entail gathering quantitative data from a number of sources. For instance, information can
of the negative impacts of online learning may be attained by comparing and contrasting the
Multiple measures: Utilizing numerous measurements to evaluate the same concept or variable is
another method of triangulation. For instance, in this study, grade point average (GPA), results
from standardized tests, and teacher ratings may all be used to gauge academic success.
Researchers can confirm their findings and increase their confidence in the outcomes by using a
variety of measurements.
into the same subject. This may be done in the context of quantitative data analysis by fusing
survey data with other quantitative techniques, including experimental or observational data.
Researchers can counter-check the findings and get a deeper grasp of the study subject by using
Integration of data: Triangulation may include combining quantitative and qualitative data. In
this study, qualitative information gathered through interviews can add context and support the
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qualitative data.
Research Bias
Selection Bias: If the study's subjects are not typical of the general middle school student
population, selection bias may develop. A random sample technique may be used to ensure that
all eligible students who are interested in the study have an equal chance of being selected for the
research, minimizing this bias. In order to accurately reflect the characteristics of the population,
it is also crucial to gain the assent and participation of a wide range of pupils.
Non-Response Bias: A skewed sample results from non-response bias when the traits or
viewpoints of non-respondents differ from those of the respondents. Maximizing the response
rate should be a priority in order to counteract this bias. Participation may be boosted by
maintaining secrecy and anonymity, as well as by communicating with participants in a clear and
simple manner about the significance of their contribution. To find any potential bias, it is also
Social Desirability Bias: When the participants respond in a way they perceive to be socially
acceptable rather than according to their actual beliefs or experiences, this is referred to as social
desirability bias. Assuring participants of the confidentiality and anonymity of their comments is
crucial in order to reduce this bias. For participants to give open, frank feedback, a secure
and refraining from asking leading questions will lessen social desirability bias.
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Researcher Bias: Researcher bias happens when the study's design, data collecting,
neutrality and limit their impact on the study process in order to counteract this bias. This may be
hypotheses of the study in detail, and, where appropriate, using blind data analysis.
Confirmation Bias: When researchers only look for or analyze data that supports their prior
conceptions or theories, this is known as confirmation bias. It is crucial to approach the study
with an open mind and actively look for different viewpoints and contradicting facts to reduce
confirmation bias. This bias may be found and reduced by using research teams with a variety of
experiences and doing peer evaluations or independent audits of the study process (Caughey et
Summary
In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, this research project attempts to look into the
detrimental impacts of online learning on middle school pupils. Evidence-based solutions may be
the consequences on academic progress, social and emotional well-being, and addressing equity
and accessibility issues. The study makes use of a thorough research design that places a strong
emphasis on technique, including the context, participants, measurement and instruments, data
References
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Hassan, Z. A., Schattner, P., & Mazza, D. (2006, August 31). Doing a pilot study: Why is it
essential? PubMed Central
(PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4453116/
Roy, A. (2020). A comprehensive guide for design, collection, analysis, and presentation of
Likert and other rating scale data: Analysis of Likert scale data.
282. https://doi.org/10.29034/ijmra.v10n1a17
Sharifi, A. (2022). An overview and thematic analysis of research on cities and the COVID-19
pandemic: Toward just, resilient, and sustainable urban planning and design. Science,
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