Teaching characteristics in distance education—associations with teaching quality and students’ learning experiences

Abstract

In spring 2020, teaching and learning changed significantly when schools closed in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the associations between teaching characteristics (teachers' communication, goals, approach to teaching) with ratings of teaching quality and students' learning experiences. Data from students (N = 3.159) in Grades 5–12, their parents (N = 1.688), and teachers (N = 459) collected online in spring/summer 2020 showed that teachers' communication with colleagues, their ability to maintain a good relationship with their students, and the time they spent on lessons were most consistently associated with teaching quality ratings as well as students’ learning experiences.