Lived experiences of accounting teachers in selected Motheo district schools in the COVID-19 ERA: a sustainable curriculum practice approach

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to document the lived experience of accounting teachers at selected schools during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. These teachers had to traverse numerous setbacks to share their knowledge, in an attempt to ensure teaching, learning and assessment practices were credible under unbearable conditions. This study used critical accounting theory as an overarching lens to provide a view of the lived experiences of teachers. Qualitative research methodology was employed as the main research frame for couching the study. Five accounting teachers were purposively sampled, and interviews were conducted to gather rich data, to comprehend their lived experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes with findings relating to what accounting teachers did, what worked well, and what did not work for the teachers. These findings have implications for sustainable curriculum practice and have also given rise to possibilities to reconsider traditional teaching methodologies and adopt cutting-edge methods of instruction. Policy-makers, educational institutions, and professional organizations can better prepare for future disruptions to traditional classroom teaching and ensure that accounting education continues to fulfill the requirements of learners and society by investing in technology, developing online teaching skills, increasing flexibility in course delivery, fostering collaboration and engagement, and prioritizing student support.