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knew they were actively engaged in creating lessons and activities for their students.

Discussion
Even though the COVID-19 global pandemic and its impact on education are
ongoing, the findings from this study conducted between December 2021 and
February 2022 have relevance for educators. Even if teachers do not need to change
teaching modalities due to a pandemic, they are more equipped to support a different
modality for snow days or other unexpected school closures such as a water main
break.
This study shared the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the teaching
of two veteran middle school teachers on the island of Oahu in the Campbell-Kapolei
Complex in the Leeward District. In addition, while sharing the stories of two
veteran teachers, the study addressed the research gap of how teachers adjusted their
instruction to fit the different teaching modalities COVID-19. Three key findings
emerged from the data: the significance of human connection, the importance of
continued use of technology in the classroom, and the extreme value of support from
stakeholders.

Limitations
Because this study used a narrative approach, four main limitations require
consideration. First, narrative research is dependent on the stories of the participants.
The researcher helped participants share their experiences without leaving out
information that would advance or complete their stories. Second, the stories the
participants shared might not be in chronological order. It was the researcher’s job to
analyze the stories and restory them, putting them in chronological order (Creswell
& Poth, 2018). Third, the definition for “after the pandemic” was dependent on
COVID-19 case numbers, positivity rate, and decisions made by the Board of
Education and HIDOE. In a May 2021 decision, the 2021–2022 school year was
fully face-to-face with all students on campus with COVID- 19 mitigation strategies.
Fourth, the size of the sample prevents generalizability of the conclusions. This is
a necessary limitation arising from the use of the narrative approach requiring in-
depth work with each participant. These limitations leave the door open for future
research and follow-up with the participants on how COVID-19 continued to impact
education and their teaching experience.

Future Research
The lack of research about teachers’ lived experiences during the switch from
traditional education to distance and blended learning creates a challenge in how best
to support teachers in the future. Although this study helps to address that research
gap, consideration should be given to the following for the future:
1. Complete a replication of this study with a change in participant location,
such as schools from a different complex area or district.
2. Complete a replication of this study with a change of school level, such as
the inclusion of elementary school teachers or high school teachers.
3. Complete a comparative study of the impact of teaching during a global
pandemic on veteran teachers and beginning teachers. New teachers have
different stressors, such as finding their teaching and classroom management
style. The pandemic might have impacted this group of teachers in other
ways.

60 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators