What Role Should Teachers Play in Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence from China

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Why is it important?

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China implemented the largest online education practice in human history. In the process, different teaching models coexist. Through a quasi-natural experiment, a total of 1,024 samples from Guiyang No.8 Middle School and another comparable school with the same conditions and students were enrolled for analysis, we discussed the impact of two online teaching methods, recorded video versus live broadcasting, on student performance, and the role teachers should play in online teaching. The study found that, compared with the self-study-based recorded video teaching, live broadcasting teaching with more teacher-student interaction is a more conducive to improving students’ academic performance. In the process of online teaching, teachers should not only assume the role of transmitting knowledge, but also play the role of “leader” and “accompanier” through effective guidance and communication.