Exploring the Lived Experiences of Primary School Teachers and Students in the Sudden Transition from Face-to-Face Instruction to Virtual Instruction during Third Imposed War Crisis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student of Curriculum Studies, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of primary school teachers and students regarding the sudden transition from face-to-face education to online education during the Third Imposed War crisis. This qualitative study was conducted in the phenomenological approach in the academic year 2025–2026 in Abyek County, Qazvin Province, Iran, to understand the meanings of participants’ experiences in an unexpected and crisis situation. The research population consisted of primary school teachers and students in Abyek County who had direct experience of online education during the war. Using purposive criterion-based sampling, 13 participants (6 teachers and 7 students) who met the inclusion criteria were selected. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. The findings revealed that 7 main themes and 30 sub-themes were extracted from teachers’ experiences, while 6 main themes and 24 sub-themes were identified from students’ experiences. The results indicated that online education during wartime was more than a simple educational transition and involved multiple layers of shock, anxiety, technical challenges, psychological pressures, learning difficulties, feelings of longing, and the need for adaptation among both groups. Overall, understanding these experiences can provide a basis for educational policymaking in crisis situations.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 June 2026
  • Revise Date: 12 July 2026
  • Accept Date: 22 August 2026
  • First Publish Date: 22 August 2026
  • Publish Date: 21 March 2026

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