Impact of Implementing New Technology Into K-12 Classrooms on Teacher Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 teachers rapidly implemented new technologies to provide remote education, often with limited technological training and support. We tested whether teachers’ satisfaction with their technology training was associated with their perceived stress, depression, anxiety, well-being and sleep. The School Staff Health and Wellness Study has surveyed school staff about their experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A priori analyses included comparisons of well-being scores among teachers who were satisfied with their technology training, dissatisfied with their technology training and those who had not received technology training. We also explore qualitatively what additional technology-related responsibilities teachers had throughout Fall 2020. Participants included 5,873 K-12 teachers who identified predominately as female, White and Non-Hispanic. Most K-12 teachers (88%) had to learn new technology, and 54% reported being “not at all” or only “a little bit” satisfied with the technology training they received. Teachers who were satisfied with their training in new technology were less anxious, depressed, stressed, scored lower on measures of sleep disturbance and higher on measures of well-being compared to other groups. Understanding the association between training in new technology and teachers’ well-being will help school leaders support teachers amid future challenging circumstances.