Distance teaching, science teaching, and preschoolers’ reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic—A comparison of the first and third lockdowns

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a new reality in all aspects of life. The lockdowns significantly impacted early childhood educators, necessitating a shift in instructional methods. Preschool (3–6 years of age) teachers had to develop innovative, creative distance science learning activities that were engaging and age-appropriate. We asked: What pedagogical practices did preschool teachers implement in distance teaching and distance science teaching during the first and third lockdowns? How did the teachers cope with distance teaching, and how did they perceive the preschoolers’ behaviour and verbal interaction during remote meetings? How self-confident were the preschool teachers with distance science teaching? The study involved 386 teachers in the first lockdown and 232 in the third. Participants completed online questionnaires that included closed- and open-ended questions. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses revealed that WhatsApp and Zoom were the main means of communication. Most teachers advanced their distance teaching practices and their self-confidence from the first to third lockdowns. During the third lockdown, teachers produced educational, scientific short videos and developed instructions for simple scientific experiments at home. Children's difficulties in communicating remotely were mainly due to adults’ or other household members’ unavailability for support, which was greater during the third lockdown.