Weather-driven school closures and science instruction: Secondary teachers’ perspectives on short-term emergency remote teaching
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Khalid Abdullah Kariri 1 *
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1 Curriculum and Instruction Department, College of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, SAUDI ARABIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

While emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been extensively studied, the distinct pedagogical challenges posed by short-term, weather-related school closures—an increasingly frequent consequence of climate change—remain largely unexplored, particularly in science education. This exploratory qualitative study examined the perspectives of eleven Saudi secondary science teachers on ERT during weather-related school closures, addressing four dimensions: pedagogical adaptations, student learning and performance, challenges, and lessons for future practice. Data from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using hybrid thematic analysis, interpreted through the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, the community of inquiry (CoI) model, and constructivist learning theory. The findings revealed that teachers primarily transferred familiar instructional strategies to the online environment while selectively integrating digital tools; however, they encountered significant difficulties replicating hands-on, inquiry-based science activities and maintaining student engagement. While teachers perceived that core curriculum objectives were largely achieved, they reported reduced depth of learning, assessment authenticity concerns, and widening performance gaps between digitally prepared and less-prepared students. Key challenges included technical barriers, increased workload, and equity gaps in home learning environments. Unlike pandemic-related ERT, which allowed gradual adaptation over months, weather-related closures are sudden and unpredictable, creating distinct demands that existing preparedness frameworks have not adequately addressed. The study contributes to the literature by extending TPACK, CoI, and constructivist frameworks to weather-related emergency contexts, and offers evidence-based implications for science teachers, policymakers, and teacher educators seeking to build more resilient science education systems.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 10, October 2026, Article No: em2934

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19424

Publication date: 26 Sep 2026

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