journal article
Open Access Collection
The reductionism of pedagogy in the online primary classrooms of COVID-19 lockdowns
Mason, Thembi; Hickey, Rachel; Lowe, Molly; Mason, Tayla; Carr, Nicola
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2026.2682244pmid: N/A
COVID-19 lockdowns forced schools into extended periods of remote teaching, reshaping how teachers engaged with pedagogy and students in online contexts. The authors explore the experiences of three primary school teachers in Victorian government schools in Australia, analysed through the lens of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model, including the nine Practice Principles and ten High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS). Data were drawn from graduate teacher presentations to pre-service teachers and follow-up interviews. Findings suggest that while teachers relied on explicit teaching, goal setting and structured lessons, opportunities for student collaboration, agency and deep learning were limited. Departmental directives and the prescriptive use of HITS were experienced as reducing teacher autonomy and shifting pedagogy to repetitive, teacher-centred practices. The article concludes with recommendations for teacher education, professional learning and classroom practice. These include strengthening digital fluency, supporting teacher autonomy and rebalancing socio-constructivist approaches to counterbalance prescriptive routines.