Learning Outcome
Identify the relationship between online teaching self-efficacy and online teaching satisfaction during COVID-19 in nutrition and dietetics education.
Background
There are 594 accredited dietetics programs in the United States, only 31 (5.2%) offer a distance/online education option. The COVID-19 pandemic during the Spring and Fall 2020 terms required in-person dietetic education to transition to online formats. Research outcome: To determine if online teaching self-efficacy and perceived stress had a significant effect on online teaching satisfaction in nutrition and dietetics education during COVID-19.
Methods
The validated Michigan Nurse Educator’s Sense of Efficacy for Online Teaching, Perceived Stress Scale, and Online Instructor Satisfaction Survey were used for data collection. Spearman rho was used to identify relationships between scale scores. Multiple regression was used to predict online teaching satisfaction based on online teaching self-efficacy and perceived stress scores.
Results
High levels of online teaching self-efficacy were associated with higher levels of online teaching satisfaction (rs = .76, n = 68, p < .001); high levels of teaching satisfaction were associated with lower levels of perceived stress (rs = -.52, n = 68, p < .001); and high levels of online teaching self-efficacy were associated with lower levels of perceived stress (rs = -.59, n = 68, p < .001). Online teaching self-efficacy score was a significant predictor of online teaching satisfaction scores (B = 2.36, p < .001).
Conclusions
Increasing nutrition and dietetic educators’ online teaching self-efficacy will increase their online teaching satisfaction. As teaching modalities change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, best practices for online teaching in nutrition and dietetics need to be further developed.
Funding source
None
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