A survey of teachers' attitudes towards the quality of virtual education and its hidden consequences

This study is aimed to review the attitude of teachers towards the quality of virtual education and its hidden consequences.The research approach is quantitative and descriptive-survey. The statistical population of the study includes all high school teachers working in Zanjan city in the academic year of 2021-2022, of which 348 people were randomly selected and in order to examine their views, a researcher-made questionnaire was used.Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to determine the validity of the questionnaire based on experts' opinions and to measure the reliability of the research instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods (one-sample t test) were also used in data analysis. The findings of the research indicate that the teachers' opinion about teaching methods, class management, formative and summative assessment and knowledge of learners in virtual education is not good, but the probability of using diverse assignments student groups is different and optimal use of time in solving assignment can be possible. Also, one of the hidden consequences of virtual education is that teachers' technological knowledge and content knowledge are developed under the influence of virtual education.Virtual education acts as a hidden curriculum (positive or negative aspect) or null in some teachers' professional competence and students' behaviors. Based on the positive dimensions of the hidden curriculum formed in virtual education, we can mention the professional development of teachers in terms of technological knowledge and subject knowledge, and in the negative aspect, we can refer to the increase of academic dishonesty (cheating) of students in the evaluation process. Also, the lack of familiarity with the personality characteristics of students in virtual education by teachers can be referred as null curriculum. Thus, the authorities of curriculum planning should include combined training in the program so that the advantage of both training (face-to-face and virtual) is used for students' learning and the development of teachers' professional competence.