SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND HUMANITIES

[ERES4113-51 PROJECT PAPER IN EDUCATION]

[FULL REPORT]

PREPARED FOR:
[DR. SITI FARHAH A. AZIZ)

PREPARED BY:
[SANGEETHA A/P BALAKRISHN - B20361073]

[BACHELOR IN EDUCATION]
[6TH SEMESTER/ 2ND YEAR]
TABLE OF CONTENT

Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………….1-6

Chapter 2: Literature Review……………………………………………………………..7-10

Chapter 3: Research Methodology…………………………………………………….11 – 13

Chapter 4: Findings/Results……………………………………………………………..14-17

Chapter 5: Discussion…………………………………………………………………...18-24.

References…………………………………………………………………………….....25-26

Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………27
Abstract
The later flare-up of Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is the foremost worldwide
troublesome widespread which effected society in general especially in educational industries.
Malaysia has been mindful of this pandemic and it leads the government to force a Movement
Control Order (MCO) and nation-wide Lockdown to contain the spread of the widespread. The
Covid-19 widespread had a such a tremendous affect on the worldwide education industry.
Customary educating and learning have been supplanted with online learning due to the
school's closure. Numerous educational institutions rushed to change over the educational
programs to online learning by considering the accessible innovation gadgets, online learning
stages, and internet associations. Conducting instructing and learning through online platforms
is exceptionally challenging to both the teachers and students particularly Early Childhood
Education teachers and the pre-schoolers.

However, teaching and learning should to take place in spite of MCO so that there will
be no student cleared out behind. Therefore, numerous open schools in Malaysia are joining
online platforms such as, Zoom, Google Meet, Google Classroom and etc. as to conduct the
lessons from home through online classes. In this way, this study points to explore the
challenges of online teaching during pandemic among the preschool teacher, and the solutions
or suggestions to overcome the challenges.

Keywords – Online teaching, Pandemic, Early Childhood Education, and Challenges

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction

Online learning is an educational process which takes place over the Internet as a system
of distance education. Distance education became universal as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic during 2020 and 2021. Because of these circumstances, online teaching and learning
had an essential role in early childhood education programs, even though debates continue on
whether or not it is beneficial for young children to be exposed extensively to Information and
Communication Technology (ICT). This descriptive study demonstrates on the challenges of
online teaching during pandemic among preschool teachers. It reports experiences and
reflections from a preschool in the city of Kuala Lumpur of 2020, Malaysia.

In March 2020, due to closing of non-essential private and public educational institutions,
early childhood professionals had to quickly adapt and respond to the demands for social
distancing, hygiene, new protocols and transition to online education. Alternatively, preschool
teachers engaged in distance teaching and learning, when the families they serve lacked
technological resources for online modalities. The present study examines how early childhood
teachers in the Kuala Lumpur is facing the challenges presented by COVID-19. The study
clearly reflects the relevancy of the challenges faced by preschool teachers, such as lack of
preparation for distance teaching and learning, deficiencies in the pre-and in-service trainings
to address the educational needs of young children distantly, and the need to work differently
with caregivers. Preschool teacher training and development should include the knowledge,
skills, and dispositions necessary to successfully reconsider and participate in distance teaching
and learning.

1.2 Background of Study

Early education has an important role in children's development, provide support to

families, and impact children's wellbeing. The majority of young children now regularly attend
childcare and education programs prior to their entry into preschool. Recent estimates indicate
that nearly two-thirds of all 3–5-year-old children in the Kuala Lumpur attend some form of
childcare and education program (United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2020;
MalaysiaFacts.org 2020). The interactions between children and their environment shape their
development (Bronfenbrenner 1995). Participation in early childhood programs underwrites to
the development of cognitive and language skills, as well as social competency and emotional
growth.

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 According to Bronfenbrenner (1995) posits individuals’ surroundings including parents,
friends, schools, and so on, as well as the environmental socio-historical events influence their
experiences and development. There are many important characteristics of the traditional early
care and education (face-to-face) classrooms that influence children's experiences and
development. Learning environments where children play, learn to use their imagination, work
together with peers, communicate, and think critically are preferred (Almon 2003).
Additionally, there should be a warm and caring atmosphere where children feel valued.
Developmentally appropriate preschool environments typically offer a building blocks area,
dramatic play opportunities, a variety of art materials to explore, open-ended materials that can
be used inside or outside, and opportunities to engage in small- and large-group activities.
Preschool teacher goals often include promoting learning, prioritizing the safety and success
of all their students, setting expectations, and maintaining a positive and safe learning
environment to all the students. These goals are particularly challenged by the COVID-19
pandemic, which has significantly altered the daily lives of children, families, educators, and
society (Wang et al. 2020).

In this article, we are trying to understand how the different systems, of Bronfenbrenner’
bioecological model, have been impacted by the event we call the COVID-19 pandemic. The
components of Bronfenbrenner’s PPCT model – process, person, context, and time are utilized
as the framework for this study. The theorist stated that the processes that characterize
interactions between the individual and the environment drive development, moreover these
interactions are ‘affected by characteristics of the developing person and of the environmental
context in which the interaction takes place’ (Bronfenbrenner 1995, 626). The interactions
between the early childhood teachers in the context of the preschools and communities they
serve during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic drive our interest as researchers. I’ve
discussed how a sample of preschool teachers of young children in private educational settings
in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have responded to the challenges brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic to the online teaching. In March 2020, most governments authorized the
closing of private and public businesses, educational institutions, and all non-essential services
to control the spread of COVID-19. As a result, early childhood teachers had to quickly adapt
and respond to the demands for social distancing, hygiene, and new protocols. While some
were able to transition to online education, many more had to engage in distance teaching and
learning as the families they serve lacked technological resources for online modalities.

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1.3 Problem Statement

When the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Malaysia, the national government, in
an attempt to contain the spread of the corona virus, decided to suspend all school-related
activities nationwide on March 2020. The Ministry of Education (MOE) advised schools to
arrange remote teaching preparations wherever possible in order to offer virtual or online
learning opportunities for all children in the country. (Sepulveda-Escobar, 2020)

However, the different ways in which schools have implemented these programmes is still
an area that is under examination. Universities and schools, similarly, followed to this
recommendation and moved all educational activities to a virtual teaching model using existing
institutional software and/or publicly available digital platforms. Due to the increasing number
of new COVID-19 cases and the associated school closures, preschool education (ECCE)
institutions adapted their teaching setting and their practical activities to the virtual
environment. Initial teacher education providers were also forced to adapt student teachers’
placement programmes to fit the ongoing adjustments being made in preschools education
sector. (Sepulveda-Escobar, 2020

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and government policy to carry out online learning
which causes pre-schoolers to learn from home and teachers to teach from home too, this
research investigates the challenges of online teaching among preschool teachers with as well
as valid reasons. Drawing on written reflections data from preschool teachers from Kuala
Lumpur, this research contributes to the realm of online teaching and learning researches. It
enriches the knowledge of what are the challenges preschool teachers in Kuala Lumpur faced
during the online teaching in a sudden and completely unprepared situation due to the COVID-
19 pandemic. It also sheds some lights on the challenges they encounter during their practices
of carrying out online learning. Therefore, questions leading the present research are: (1) What
are the challenges of online teaching during pandemic among the preschool teacher? (2) How
the preschool teacher overcome the challenges? (Atmojo, 2020

The present research gives contributions of betterment to the challenges of online

teaching among preschool teachers. Planning and preparation should certainly be done for
better online teaching in the future since online teaching requires more time than face-to face
class to be well-prepared and ready. The preschool teachers must be trained and prepared with
sufficient knowledge and skill to maximize their practices in carrying out the online teaching.
The students have to be familiarized with online learning to enhance their digital literacy and

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refine their misperceptions about online learning. The students’ parents must also be notified
to monitor and maintain their children participation and engagement in the online learning.
(Atmojo, 2020)

1.4 Research Objectives

The objective of the current study is to provide a comprehensive review of challenges of online
teaching during Covid-19 among preschool teachers. The objectives of this research are as
follows:

1. Identify the challenges and obstacles of online teaching during the COVID-19 crisis
encountered by Early Childhood Educators.
2. Understand and utilize the best methods and modes to engage and motivate the Early
Childhood learners in online learning.
3. Familiarize the Early Childhood learners and teachers with the currently used platforms
and applications that can assist in enhancing and reinforcing education during
pandemics.
4. Explore the reflection results of the mass movement by the chosen preschool to the
online learning process.

1.5 Research Questions

The study answers the following questions of:

• Q1: What are the challenges of online teaching during pandemic among the preschool
teacher?
• Q2: How the preschool teacher overcome the challenges?

1.6 Significance of Study

In this 21st Century, smart KMS (Knowledge Management Systems) and LMS (Learning
Management Systems) with technology inbuilt are in demand for increasing the need of self-
directness. Evidence have shown that students tend to understand better if multimedia
(Adnan, 2018) tools are integrated into their teaching. Regardless of efforts by education
institutions to adapt the use of internet and ICT in teaching, most especially in the present

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condition of lockdowns, certain challenges are curtailing these efforts, especially among the
preschool teachers.

1. Lack of internet in most students’ living area, this proposed framework is purely online,
and as such, reliable internet network is the backbone of its emergence. Most of the
students do not have sufficient internet network, and this is a major setback for online
learning.

2. Lack of infrastructures like computers and ICT gadgets due to the level of poverty in
families: for a successful online classroom, there must be resources to be sufficiently
made available. These resources include network hardware, system hardware/software,
and human resources, but due to economic factors of some families of the students,
such provisions are relatively impossible and thus, a big challenge for preschool
teachers to conduct online teaching in an effective way.

3. Lack of ICT knowledge/awareness among students, parents and preschool teachers: For
some parents, especially those with lower educational knowledge might think that
knowledge of ICT is very scarce. In fact, some are resisting to accept technology as a
modern science. They view the concept of ICT as an attempt to scam and hence, posing
a very big challenge in the implementation of any ICT framework to such categories of
Institutions/people.

4. Lack of students’ engagement towards the online learning. Most of the preschool
students tended to feel bored or lack of focus towards the online learning as its take
place through digital platforms where the teachers unable to conduct a physical teaching
as in a classroom. And some students tend to close the camera of the classroom meeting
as they wanted to focus on doing other things such as, watching television, playing
videogames or eating.

1.7 Operational Definition

• Online Teaching:

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Online teaching is the process of educating others on virtual platforms. This type of teaching
involves live classes, video conferencing, webinars, and other online tools. The online
applications are developed and designed to facilitate easy learning and better understanding.

• Challenges:

In this study, the word challenges refer to the situation of being faced with something that needs
great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore, tests a person’s
or a preschool teacher’s ability.

• Pandemic:

Pandemic is a disease that exists in almost all of an area or in almost all of a group of people.

• Early Childhood Education:

Early Childhood Education refer as the study of the education of children from about two to
six years of age.

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Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

In this study of Literature review, online teaching is an educational process which takes
place over the Internet as a form of distance education. Distance education became universal
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020. Because of these circumstances, online
teaching and learning had an indispensable role in early childhood education programs, even
though debates continue on whether or not it is beneficial for young children to be exposed
extensively to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This descriptive study
demonstrates on the challenges the preschool teachers in early childhood education were faced
during online teaching and how they have overcome it in this pandemic situation. It reports
experiences and reflections from my reading on literature of articles, journals and etc; and also,
from interviewing of preschool teachers. Online teaching experiences provided these preschool
teachers with opportunities to interact with children, as well as to encourage reflection on how
best to promote young children’s development and learning with online communication tools.

2.2 Relevant past Studies

The following section presents the previous studies conducted in related to online
teaching during Covid-19 among the preschool teachers. An interview-based study was
conducted to explore the experiences of educators of preschool in public and private institutions
from the United States and various Latin American countries. The study concluded with the
challenges faced by preschool educators and to have a better understanding on how to deal with
the online teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic (Julia T. Atiles, 2021). The advantages of
this study are it mentioned and had a good data analyses on teacher training, technology used
for teaching during the online classes, technology that the educators can used to communicate
with caregivers of the children, and guideline on access to educational materials.

Another Qualitative, case study explored the Impacts of COVID-19 on Early Childhood
Education by capturing the unique challenges associated with remote teaching and learning in
K-2 (Kristy Timmons, 2021). This case study also done to apply findings to provide
recommendations for remote learning as well as strategies for supporting in-person learning in
the COVID-19 era (and post COVID-19 era). The unique challenges and unanticipated
successes associated with remote teaching and learning in the early education context were

7
highlighted in the results section; and the findings are utilized to provide clear
recommendations for how to improve remote learning and offer strategies for supporting in-
person learning in the COVID-19 era and post COVID-19 era as the advantages of the study.
Whereas, in another case study where it explored about the opportunities and challenges of
organizing and implementing distance preschool education and the opinions of the teachers
during the online teaching in the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to determine the challenges and
opportunities faced by pre-school education teachers while organizing distance education
during the Covid-19 quarantine, methodology of qualitative research was chosen (Rasa
Braslauskienė, 2021). From this study, we adapted of the actions of administration and teachers
of the educational instituion after the announcement of quarantine, and also discuss on the
groups of ICT tools that can be use by the educators for distance learning as well as the four
main changes in educational goals and tasks that should be taken seriously afte the transition
to distance learning.

Besides, a study carried out in aiming to reveal the problems faced by educators in the
education period during COVID-19 pandemic and to discuss their opinions regarding the
process. As one of the qualitative research methods, the phenomenology pattern was used in
the research of the problems faced by teachers in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Aytaç, Tufan, 2021). This study group consists of 80 teachers selected by using purposeful
criterion sampling technique who work at public and private schools in different provinces of
Turkey in the years of 2019-2020. According to the findings, the most common problems faced
by the teachers during COVID-19 pandemic are learners’ technical and hardware problems
related to the internet connection, the inability of learners to maintain their motivation to learn,
the inability of parents to create a learning environment, and the lack of their support at home
for their children. The majority of teachers have the view that the psychology of the learners
has been negatively affected during COVID-19 pandemic process, but there are also the
learners who could adapt to this process effectively. An important finding in this study is that
teachers think that their colleagues do not have necessary skills to use technology and they are
low in motivation to use distance education technologies. Teachers think that after COVID-19
pandemic, things shall not be the same as before; the importance of school, teachers and face-
to-face education shall be standard again, and blended learning methods shall come to the fore.

Next, a qqualitative, ethnography study explored on the challenges and barriers to

Austrian early childhood educators' participation in online professional development
programmes (Eva Pölzl-Stefanec, 2021). In the study, it displayed the digital professional

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development for early childhood education and also the media use of early childhood educators
during the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic. This study also provides insights into essential aspects
that need to be considered when setting up online professional development programmes, a
field which is still in its infancy in Austria. The results of an illustrative survey demonstrated
that early childhood educators' digital competencies are highly variable and cannot be taken
for granted. The survey results also highlighted the need to provide educators with functional
digital devices appropriate to their work environment. Early childhood educators' interest in
online professional development programmes is very high, in recognition of the advantages
afforded by flexible participation options independent of users' time constraints or location.

Whereas, another study of English teachers’ perception toward the switch from offline
to online teaching during lockdown in the midst of Covid-19 outbreak (Muhammad Nashir,
2021), The research method was case study with qualitative research approach; and the data
needed collected by distributing Google form questionnaire and interview. The results
indicated that the most stages used in teaching English were WhatsApp and Zoom meeting.
According to the study, 68% of teachers felt that their workload was heavier if compared to
face-to-face learning because the teachers need additional time to package interesting learning
in order to be able to enlarge the students’ motivation and desire in English lesson. The
advantages of this study are that it explain the obstacles during online learning are inadequate
facilities; the burden of purchasing internet quota, poor internet connection, the process of
delivering material is not optimal, more difficult to give assessment, feedback, and lack of
freedom in controlling the students learning activities. It can be determined that learning from
home policy during Covid-19 pandemic had not been implemented properly and according to
the teacher's observations, only for about 35% of students who were active and serious in
carrying out online learning. Not only that, the qualitative study conducted by Łukasz Tomczyk
(2021), The emergency (crisis) e-learning as a challenge for teachers in Poland as the findings
displayed uses an analysis of several thousand posts and then identifies and categorizes
statements related to crisis e-learning along with a phenomenological interpretation. The
analyses made it possible to recognize seven categories of challenges attributed to crisis e-
learning, such as: technical problems, use of non-standard solutions, the search for solutions to
increase the effectiveness of e-learning, the transfer of proven applications and programmes,
problems with students, problems with parents, and the modernisation of workstations.

Moreover, a quantitative of survey study was conducted by Digvijay Pandey (2021)

with 150 student teachers, as to explore a framework for effective delivering of online classes

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 during lockdown as it describes the numerous online teaching platforms, study materials,
techniques, and technologies’ being used to ensure that educating the students does not stop.
Also, it identifies the platforms, technologies which can be used to conduct online examination
in a safe environment lacking of cheating; this survey also explores the challenges facing the
deployment of online teaching methods.

A concept paper study was conducted by Jinyoung Kim (2020) about learning and
teaching online during Covid-19: experiences of student teachers in an Early Childhood
Education practicum. The findings of the concept paper displayed that online teaching involves
various tasks to be accomplished in the different phases of planning, implementation, and
reflection. Critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication are vitally required
no matter whether the class is taught online or offline. Thus, it is critical to think ahead so that
teachers can plan and consider limitations that they may face in the future. It is necessary to
provide students and teachers with opportunities and skills for such online teaching, including
interacting with children through this medium, and also have students reflect about how best
to promote development and learning using online communication tools.

2.3 Conceptual Framework

Challenges of Online
Teaching During
Covid-19 pandemic
faced by Preschool
Teacher

Collection Data:
Main Variables:
• Interview – perception / opinions
• Internet connectivity issues
• Challenges of technology/
gadgets
• Lack of students’ engagements
Expectations:
• Difficulties in managing large
group of students in online • The different perceptions of
classroom Online teaching
• Time management • The Theoretical perception on the
issues

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Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

In the midst of the trusts and tall yearnings, 21st Century may be a bulk of challenges
and changes particularly with regard to wellbeing, cleanliness, instruction, social alter,
technology development, and enemy. With widespread when everything appeared to be stand
still, it was the human nature that demanded us to move ahead and so it was that indeed in
pandemic, education never came to a halt. UNO in 2020, detailed that the Covid-19 widespread
has created the biggest disturbance of instruction frameworks in history, influencing about 1.6
billion learners in more than 190 countries. It was as it were since the human found the
interchange alternative in instruction and hence, started the time of online instruction or
teaching. Whereas, there was a blend of thoughts almost the usage, acknowledgement. And
victory of online education: the circumstances and time constrained each one to acknowledge
it whether entirely heartedly or with an overwhelming.

In online educating, teaching of lessons is particularly done with help of internet

connectivity and innovation supported gadgets to turn the educating learning prepare
successful. It is in this way, the method of teaching the prospects through the web. Different
ways of teaching include webinars, conference calls, gather videos calls, and one to one call.
There is various application accessible online which makes the ease in online teaching such as
Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Google Classroom and others. With help of these applications, it
gets to be attainable, helpful, solid, and simple mode of teaching on the portion of teacher. Not
confined to the ease and gaining, online instructing broadens the see of information as we get
in contact with different individuals of diverse age bunch, diverse geological areas, and diverse
intrigues areas.

At the same time, online teaching gets criticized due to numerous challenges such as
the network issues, need of innovation help contraptions, need of specialized aptitudes to utilize
it and various other issues and others issues particularly in provincial zones. Since each
occasion has two sides, so has the online teaching which is decorated with the merits and
challenges. In this manner, the objective of the consider is to investigate the merits and
challenges of online teaching from the perception of preschool teachers in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

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3.2 Research Design

In this study of Challenges of online teaching during Covid-19 pandemic among

preschool teachers; the aim is to identified the challenges and finding effective solutions to
create a better online teaching in the future. A qualitative of case study has displayed in this
research by interviewing some preschool teachers from the city of Kuala Lumpur. The reason
to choose the case study for this research is because it adopts a series of methodologies that are
exploring the phenomenon that wanted to study in context of online teaching rather than in
isolation situation. Rather than just finding individual research respondents who meet the
criteria for inclusion in this study, we able to research a little more of the world we live in
during the pandemic. Not only that, the case study is also often used to look at organisations
such as a school, workplace, hospital or support group. While often closely connected with
ethnography, case study research doesn’t have to just use ethnographic methods and that’s the
reasons to selected case study under this research.

3.3 Instruments

This case study used the interview as the main instruments of research. The instruments of
interview are equally common examples of research instruments. It requires the researcher to
talk directly with the participants to gather information on an issue of mutual interest as in this
research the participants will talk about the challenges they have faced during online teaching
under the Covid-19 circumstance. The researcher orally asks the participants a question and
then proceeds to record the oral answer provided. A structured type of interview used in this
study as it is founded on interview questionnaire where questions presented to the participants
and answers provided are recorded in a standardized manner while a set pattern and question
sequence is adhered to.

3.4 Samplings/ Participants

In participants, it explained about the people who participated in the work in a way that
acknowledges their contributions and agency. Sentence structure plays a key role in this
acknowledgment, as does using professional language; using the active voice to describe the
questioner actions and the actions of participants; the passive voice suggests individuals are
acted upon instead of being actors (e.g., “the subjects completed the trial” and “we collected

12
data from the participants” are preferable to “the trial was completed by the subjects” and “the
participants were run”). These choices helped to ensure that the questioner convey respect for
the people about whom s/he are writing.

3.5 Data Collection Procedure

In qualitative research, preschool teachers are used to assist the researcher in gaining
access and developing trust with the community of study on this case study. The preschool
teachers (interviewers) and researcher had several conversations about the online teaching
during Covid-19 and its challenges for this study. The preschool teachers will get in contact
with the questioners that met the criteria, and ask them if they would be interested in
participating in the study. If the preschool teachers agree, the questioner will schedule a visit
with the preschool teachers where I will explain to them the purpose of the study and what
participating in this study entails. The preschool teachers will also be present during this
meeting. For this study, data will be collected in the forms of structured interviews, a non-
participant observation, collection of documents, and a reflective journal. The preschool
teachers will not present during the data collection phases of the study.

3.6 Data Analysis Procedure

In this study, the qualitative data refers to non-numeric information such as interview
transcripts; will developing and applying the codes as the coding can be explained as
categorization of data. A ‘code’ in the data analysis can be a word or a short phrase that
represents a theme or an idea as in this study it about the challenges of online teaching during
pandemic among preschool teachers. A wide range of non-quantifiable elements such as
events, behaviours, activities, meanings etc. can be coded. Lastly, will summarize the data to
link research findings to hypotheses or research aim and objectives.

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Chapter 4: Findings

4.1 Introduction

This widespread has constrained worldwide physical closure of business, sports industries,
and schools by pushing all educate emigrate to online stages. Online learning is the utilization
of the web and a few other critical advances to create materials for instructive purposes,
directions conveyance, and administration of programs. Preschool teachers and administrators
worked hard during lockdown to keep students on track, shifting to online learning within the
shortest time.

Even though technology evolution now allows many things we haven’t believed possible,
the shift to e-learning doesn’t go as smoothly as we want it to be. Facing the pitfalls of digital
learning may be discouraging and frustrating both for preschool teachers and students. These
findings discussed the crisis-response migration approaches of preschool learning institutions,
students, parents, and faculty members into online learning, the opportunities and challenges
concerning Covid-19.

4.2 Findings for Research Question 1

The first finding for research question 1 in this study is ‘What are the challenges of online
teaching during pandemic among the preschool teacher?’, the themes have been identified
according to the data analysis from the interviews of two preschool teachers who are working
at an international preschool in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Theme 1: Lack of students’ engagement

Participant 1 (P1) has stated during the interview session that “I think for me when the
Pandemic hit, the children that I was teaching was four years old, so they were in between the
age of can they do or not do online learning? Is it too much screen time for them or is it just
not for them at all? “So, I struggled with online classes during the first few months of it because
it was really hard to get their attention, mostly. And when you get your attention, you’re using
YouTube videos. And we were told that we cannot give children too much screen time. So,
reducing screen time and engaging with the children was challenging.” (P1: L9-L12, 24th
Jan 2022).

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Participant 2(P2) has also indicated the same theme as she mentioned on lack of students’
engagement “It’s because sometimes you want to engage the children’s attention, and
sometimes you play the video, they will stay focused. And when you stop playing the video,
some of the children will start running away. And then you need to use your nursery songs to
engage back their attention” (P2: L10 - L12, 25th Jan 2022).

Theme 2: Mental Health

In this theme, the P1 opened up that “It was a mental game for us because we were staying
home. We were the job that stayed home the longest, I would say because a lot of different
industries were opening up but for us teachers, we just had to permanently stay at home during
a pandemic. So, I think it was a mental game that we got to be strong. A lot of times, I felt like
I cannot do this anymore. If this goes on for another day, I want to resign because I feel like
this is not for me. I want to do something else as I can go to the office work. So that was one
of them as well. (P1: L27- L32, 24th Jan 2022)

Not only that, even P2 mentioned the same theme as she added “And what I find most
challenging is screen time because for us, teachers we have back to back classes. We have so
many children and we have to keep on continuing the classes without any proper breaks. And
after you finish your class, you need to do some preparations, like the slides and lesson plans.
It's very much mentally exhausted also” (P2: L13- L16, 25th Jan 2022).

Theme 3: Limited internet connection

As to explain this theme, participant 1 (P1) said that “Internet connection was very limited
because I think at the time in the world, everywhere I know everyone was using Zoom. Zoom
was like the one thing everyone was in as it’s free. The server is getting overloaded, and there
are so many times, they’re like, we just couldn’t log in into our Zoom account and parents
would be texting us. Are you not switching on the class we’ll be like panicking and the parents
will be panicking too at the end. We’re just like, so flustered. (P1: L19 - L21, 24th Jan 2022).

Theme 4: Guiding the parents or the caretaker on Zoom online classes

Participant 2 personally mentioned that guiding the parents or caretaker on how to operate or
use the Zoom app through the online classes is one of the biggest challenges. She said that

15
“For me, it’s quite challenging because it’s something very new to me as well as for the
children and parents. The parents are not sure how to use Zoom, and then we have to teach
them, and also sometimes it will be the caretaker who has a different native language will be
beside the child to monitor and help the child in online classes. The one who is beside the
children is their grandfather, grandmother, or even sometimes the nanny. So sometimes we
need to teach them how to use it, and I find it quite challenging.” (P2: L6-L6, 25th Jan 2022).

4.3 Findings for Research Question 2

The second research question is ‘How did the preschool teacher overcome the challenges?’,
which gained some effective suggestions from the participants. In the findings of question 2,
the participants had different suggestions and opinions on how to overcome the challenges.

Theme 1: Increase the Internet connection (Zoom)

As participant 1 (P1) suggested on increasing the internet connection especially on the Zoom
app as she mentioned “I would say the school management should subscribe to Zoom premium
for our school, especially because we’re teaching based on the free Zoom of 40 minutes.
Sometimes we get flustered. We can’t log in and the time from 30 minutes you get to cut to 20
minutes or 15 minutes of lessons. And parents are complaining, especially because they pay a
lot to the school and expect more from us.” (P1: L38-L38, 24th Jan 2022)

Theme 2: Provide a training session for teachers and parents

For this theme, the P1 added that she “The school management should provide a skillful
training session to the teachers on ‘How to conduct or carry out the online classes effectively
as most teachers were panicked and didn’t receive proper guidelines on doing this online
classes till we have discovered and learned from each other’s as colleagues.” (P1: L40 - L42,
24th Jan 2022) Participant 1 (P1) suggested that the parents also should gain a training session
on “How to access the online classes using technology platforms” which can be provided by
the school management or even the parents can take part in some online training that will be
conducted outside of the school as well. “I think not only teachers but also to educate parents
a little bit on how to use it as well and also to tell parents to give them a certain expectation.
You cannot expect everything from the teachers through the online classes; there are few times

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where the teachers need parents’ help and assistance on guiding the child’s online classes.”
(P1: L45- L45, 24th Jan 2022)

Theme 3: Gain knowledge about the technology tools such as Zoom.

As participant 2 (P2) answered the question, she came up with the suggestion that everyone
including the teachers and parents or caretakers should have basic knowledge on using and
handling the technology tools such as Zoom; as she mentioned “My suggestion would be
maybe everyone at least should have some technical knowledge like on subscribe to Zoom as
well as learn the feature of it so, it will be easier for the teacher and also the parents in the
future.” (P2: L25-L25, 25th Jan 2022)

Theme 4: More off-line breaks and fewer workloads for teacher

Participant 2 (P2) suggested this theme from the challenge she has experienced through the
online classes during this pandemic time, suggested that “Maybe I can say teachers should have
good time management because when it comes to working, we always work from home and
we spend long hours in front of the laptop. I felt that most of the teachers got burned out because
of online for too long. So, my suggestion would be maybe the teacher should also deserve a
break for not too long. At least after work, we can just rest and not have too much screen time.
It’s very harmful to our health as well.” (P2: L28 - L31, 25th Jan 2022)

4.4 Conclusion

In-depth of this case study revealed the major problems or challenges in the online teaching
and learning system and the possible solutions. The world is changing in the technology area,
and today’s crisis has opened the door to new opportunities by giving a leading role to students;
achieving new standards of online teaching and learning; using gadgets not only for fun, but to
get something new by taking online courses or classes, and also on joining the relevant
community for the experience exchange, or accessing the free information sources.

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Chapter 5: Discussions

5.1 Introduction

Online learning has been widely promoted to replace traditional face-to-face learning
during the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain young children’s learning and play at home. This
study indicates the challenges faced by preschool teachers and how they overcome the
challenges of online classes during the pandemic of Covid-19. In this study, two participants
were interviewed as they work in a private preschool. In online classes, the teaching of lessons
is specifically done with help of internet connectivity and technology-aided devices to turn the
teaching-learning process effective.

With help of the technology applications such as Zoom, emails, and WhatsApp, it becomes
the feasible, convenient, reliable, and easy mode of teaching on the part of the preschool
teacher. However, at the same time, online teaching gets criticized due to many challenges such
as internet connection issues, lack of technical skills to use it, and various other problems and
other issues, especially in rural areas. Since every event has two sides, so has online education
which is adorned with merits and challenges. The objective of the study is to explore the
challenges of online classes from the perspective of preschool teachers in the city of Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.

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5.2 Discussions of Findings: Research Question 1: Challenges of Online Teaching During
Pandemic Among the Preschool Teacher

Theme 1: Lack of students’ engagement

As P1 and P2 stated in the interview that one of the biggest challenges she faced during
a pandemic time on conducting online classes for pre-schoolers is the lack of students’
engagement. In education, student engagement refers to the degree of consideration, interest,
intrigued, good faith, and energy that understudies appear when the students are learning or
being instructed, which expands to the level of inspiration they have to learn and advance in
their instruction. Generally speaking, the concept of “student engagement” is predicated on the
conviction that learning moves forward when understudies are curious, interested, or propelled,
which learning tends to endure when understudies are bored, impartial, alienated, or something
else “disengaged.”

Through this study, both participants explained that it’s difficult for them to conduct
the lesson through online classes as the students didn’t engage themselves well in the lessons
or to the given instructions; they tend to give their attention when there is any animated videos
or educational games which managed to grab their attention. They also added that it also
depends on the children’s age as for the pre-schoolers, the attention span will only last longer
within 30 minutes so the online classes are not appropriate for them unless the teachers make
the lessons seem interesting by having fun and educational videos and games. This is also
aligned with the past study of Aytaç, and Tufan (2015) which has highlighted the lack of
students’ engagement in the case study of online teaching challenges faced by teachers in
Turkey.

According to the findings of Aytac and Tufan, one of the most common problems faced
by the teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic is the inability of learners to maintain their
motivation to learn, as it explained that to keep the students engaged through online classes has
been a difficult task for the teachers as most of the students tend to go offline suddenly, or turn
off the camera and not responding to the teachers’ questions towards the lessons.

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Theme 2: Mental Health

The findings of this research stated the theme of mental health by both participants as
they experienced some hard times on coping with their mental health as they mentioned that
conducting lessons through online platforms has been difficult and increased their workloads,
as most of them should continue back to back classes without a proper breaks, and even after
the classes the teachers had to prepare the next day lessons by sitting in front of the computers
or laptops for hours. This affected the preschool teachers’ mental health towards a stressed,
exhausted, and gave up mentality on the online classes during the pandemic time of Covid-19.

Mental health among teachers has been a vital role as the WHO defines it as a state of
well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to her or his
community. This is aligned with Muhammad Nashir (2021) in his research study as he
mentioned that according to the study, 68% of teachers felt that their workload was heavier if
compared to face-to-face learning because the teachers need additional time to package
interesting learning to be able to enlarge the students’ motivation and desire in English lesson.
From his research, the teachers are encouraged to think hard about how to design online
learning as well as possible so that it makes students interested and easily understand the points
of material presented.

Theme 3: Limited internet connection

Besides, this study also themed on the limited internet connection as one of the
challenges faced by the preschool teachers on the online classes during the pandemic time.
Internet connection is the method of interfacing to the web utilizing individual computers,
tablets, or portable gadgets by users. Internet is subject to information signaling rates and users
can be associated at distinctive web speeds, it also gets to empower people or organizations to
profit web services through having online classes through the Zoom app. Participant 1
mentioned that she had difficulties getting good access to an internet connection especially in
the platform Zoom where everyone around the world is using it as it gives the users free access
to the app for 30 minutes.

This is also aligned with the past study of Aytaç, and Tufan (2015) which has highlighted the
limited internet connection; according to the findings, the most common problems faced by the

20
teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic are learners’ technical and hardware problems related
to the internet connection. The study stated that students who live in rural communities are
faced with poor internet connections, as well as a lack of infrastructure to access the online
classes.

Theme 4: Guiding the parents or the caretaker on Zoom online classes

Moreover, participant 2 said that she faced the challenge of guiding the parents or the
caretaker on using the Zoom app through the online classes as she opened up that most of the
time, the caretaker of the child such as the nanny, or grandparents will be sitting beside the
child and assisting them. And most of them needed little helps on how to use the Zoom app
like turning on the mic or the camera or even sometimes they were not sure on how to open up
the Zoom and join the online classes. This theme is compared with the past study of Julia T.
Atiles (2021) as the advantages of this study is it mentioned and had good data analyses on
technology that the educators can use to communicate with caregivers of the children and
guidelines on access to educational materials and platforms.

The researcher stated that communicating with parents and caregivers during the
pandemic has been an important, yet challenging task for the participants. For this purpose,
teachers identified a variety of platforms including email, Facebook, Google Classroom,
Microsoft Teams, phone calls, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Zoom. However, it should be noted
that WhatsApp (73%) was the most used application followed by emails (65%). The least
popular applications and platforms were Teams (11.5%) and Zoom (15.3%), both used in
private institutions, interestingly. So, the preschool teachers should provide effective
guidelines on how to operate the Zoom app such as the steps to join the online classes using
the link provided by the teachers ahead of the beginning of the online classes to avoid any
interruptions or disturbance during the class timing.

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5.3 Discussions of Findings: Research Question 2: Methods on how preschool teachers
overcome the challenges

Theme 1: Increase the Internet connection (Zoom)

As participant 1 suggested in the interview on increasing the internet connection

especially on the Zoom app as she would like to suggest to the school management on
subscribing to Zoom premium for the teachers who work in the school, especially because
during the online classes as they’re teaching based on the free Zoom of 40 minutes; and
sometimes they get flustered as they can’t log in on time while the students are waiting to join
the Zoom classes, and the time from 30 minutes they only get to cut to 20 minutes or 15 minutes
of lessons. As contrasted to the past study of Julia T. Atiles (2021), 54% of the participants
reported they had major internet connectivity problems that prevented them from working or
teaching online classes. The teachers who indicated that they had not experienced connectivity
issues worked in urban areas. Moreover, none of the teachers in the United States had
experienced connectivity issues; three teachers from Brazil who worked in public schools in
the São Paulo area also did not experience connectivity issues. The other three teachers who
reported not having problems were all in private schools; so maybe the crucial decision to be
made by the government and the school management in order help the students and teachers
who live in the rural areas and also help on providing good internet access which will help
them not only during the pandemic time but also for the necessity of living in the modern days.

Theme 2: Provide a training session for teachers and parents

This finding explained the suggestion of participant 1 on how to overcome the online
classes challenges as she suggested providing training by the school management. P1
mentioned in the interview that she would like to receive effective training sessions that can
help and guide her as a preschool teacher, and also the parents on the methods of how to
conduct and handle online classes without stressing up much the children as well as ourselves.
This theme aligned with the case study of Julia T. Atlies (2021) as she stated three out of the
26 members gotten pre-service preparing to educate online.

When inquired whether teachers were advertised any preparing to educate online once
schools closed due to the Covid-19, half of the teachers showed they got a few kinds of
preparing. 44% of the public-school teachers and 60% of the private school teachers reacted

22
they had taken an interest in different pieces of training. They indicated that they attended
courses, seminars, and Webinars by the Ministry of Education of their country about how to
use online platforms and apps, among others. Tactlessly, none were trained on how to
effectively engage in online or distance education with young children.

Theme 3: Gain knowledge about the technology tools such as Zoom.

The third theme indicate gaining knowledge about technology tools by everyone; as
participant 2 suggested the teachers, parents and even children should have a piece of basic
knowledge on how to use the technology tools as it’s the 21st century and we’re living in the
world that 90% operate with the help of the technologies. This theme aligned together with the
Aytaç, and Tufan (2021) study as an important finding in this study is that teachers think that
their colleagues do not have the necessary skills to use technology and they are low in
motivation to use distance education technologies.

Theme 4: More off-line breaks and fewer workloads for teacher

This theme of finding explained that teachers should receive enough breaks or off-line
breaks and fewer workloads from the online classes. From the interview in this study,
participant 2 mentioned that she experienced exhausting days handling online classes back to
back and it created a negative impact on her mental health as she began to feel stressed and
worried much about the preparing of the online lessons. This aligned with Muhammad Nashir’s
(2021) study, through his research almost 68% of teachers mentioned that they had heavier
workloads and due to that, they feel a lack of motivation and stress which leads to a negative
impact on their mental health.

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5.4 Future Recommendations

Recommendations are centered around pre-and in-service training for online teaching and
learning as well as educational institutions, such as providing good internet connection or
accessibility to the teachers and students and providing effective training for the preschool
teachers on conducting online classes with the use of appropriate technology tools which also
can help the students be interested towards the lesson (increase the students’ engagement). This
training should include how to utilize the different platforms as well as how to work with
families online. These recommendations can inform and extend our understanding of the
impact of the COVID-19 and how the early childhood sector might respond to the challenges
raised.

5.5 Implications

The implications of this study have the possibility to assist education leaders, preschool
teachers, students, and also the parents in discovering by analyzing early childhood teachers’
challenges faced regarding online classes struggles during the pandemic of Covid-19 as well
as finding out how preschool teachers can overcome those challenges.

5.6 Conclusion

It can be concluded in the study that online teaching and learning have a long convention
in grown-up instruction. Be that as it may, in early childhood instruction, such programs of
online teaching and learning are it was fair stating to be created. Recently, online classes can
be made comprehensive, available, and broadly accessible to early childhood teachers, they
must meet several fundamental necessities. The present study provides understanding into
essential aspects that need to be considered when setting up online classes more effectively by
having a good internet connection, appropriate and interesting educational technology tools or
materials, positive mental health for the educators, and well-organized training for teachers and
parents on the use and handling of online platforms of online classes.

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6.0 References

Adedoyin, O. B. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: the challenges and
opportunities. Interactive Learning Environments, 23-27.

Atiles, J. T. (2021). International responses to COVID-19: challenges faced by early childhood

professionals. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal , 66-78.

Aytaç, T. (2021). The Problems Faced by Teachers in Turkey During the COVID-19 Pandemic
and Their. International Journal of Progressive Education, 1-17.

Braslauskienė, R. (2021). OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF ORGANIZING AND

IMPLEMENTING DISTANCE PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION: TEACHERS' OPINIONS.
SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION, 53-64.

Jha, A. (2021). Merit and Challenges of Online Teaching in India. INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION &
DEVELOPMENT , 1110-1123.

Li, C. (29 April, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever. This is how
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digital-learning/

Mahyoob, M. (2020). Challenges of e-Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic Experienced

by EFL Learners. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 351-362.

Nashir, M. (2021). English Teachers’ Perception toward the Switch from Offline to Online
Teaching during. EDUKATIF: JURNAL ILMU PENDIDIKAN, 250-260.

Ntumi, S. (2017). Challenges Pre-School Teachers Face in the Implementation of the Early
Childhood Curriculum in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Journal of Education and Practice, 228-
238.

Plitnichenko, L. (2020). Online Learning Challenges (& Ways to Solve Them). Retrieved from
Jellyfish.tech: https://jellyfish.tech/10-challenges-of-e-learning-during-covid-19/

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Pölzl-Stefanec, E. (2021). Challenges and barriers to Austrian early childhood educators'
participation in online professional development programmes. British Educational Research
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Appendices

Appendix 1: The below picture shows the overall view of online education which published
by The Star, Malaysia.

Appendix 2: The below picture shows the site of Zoom app which helped most of the schools
on using it effectively as navigate the coronavirus pandemic.

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