Determination of teachers’ competencies in online teaching

The aim of this study was to identify online teaching competencies and their relationship with teachers' demographic factors. For this purpose the mixed research method, a sequential exploratory design of instrument making type was used.The research was conducted in two parts:qualitative and quantitative.In the qualitative part of the research method, content analysis was used.The statistical population in qualitative part were all primary and secondary high school teachers in Tehran and theoretical and research resources in the field of online education and teacher’s professional competencies.In selecting the teachers' sample, using the targeted sampling method of the type of theoretical, primary and secondary high school teachers with online teaching and learning experience and resources related to online teaching were selected as samples.The sample size was determined based on the principle of theoretical saturation.In order to collect data, semi-structured interviews with teachers were used and to extract the factors, interview coding and theoretical and research resources and data alignment were used. In the next step, the online teaching competency questionnaire was designed using the extracted factors and based on the activity theory. In the quantitative part, the survey method was used.The statistical population included all primary and secondary high school teachers in Tehran in the academic year(1399-1400)from which 261 teachers were selected based on virtual snowball sampling method based on Krejcie and Morgan table.All sample members had online teaching and learning experience. In order to analyze the data, exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were used. Findings showed that the online teaching competency questionnaire based on activity theory is well compatible with exercises and class assignments and is reliable and valid in terms of psychometric properties.In the study of demographic characteristics gender age and level of education of teachers did not have a significant effect on online teaching competencies but the effect of online teaching and learning experience was significant.Findings of the present study can be used in purposeful procurement of student teacher recruitment and preparation programs based on active topics of online teaching and design of educational programs to empower teachers through in-service programs in the field of online teaching competencies.