Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of English, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The global outbreak of COVID-19 necessitated a swift transition from conventional face-to-face (F2F) teaching to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in educational institutions worldwide. This sudden shift posed significant challenges for both teachers and students, particularly those in low-resource rural schools. This study sought to probe into this experience in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, focusing on the perspectives of teachers and students in rural high schools within Iran. The study participants were 13 female EFL teachers and 15 female EFL students teaching and studying in rural high schools in different cities in Iran. Employing a qualitative approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, online observation, and one of the researcher’s reflective journals. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the data, identifying several categories encompassing the hurdles encountered by the participants and the achievements they attained. The identified categories pertaining to hurdles encompassed technological, financial, educational, personal, professional, and well-being problems. Similarly, the categories pertaining to achievements comprised technological, educational, and professional progress, as well as enhanced convenience. Exploring the dilemmas and aspirations expressed by these participants can inform and better equip the educational system of Iran to effectively respond to similar crises in the future. Furthermore, this study offers insights to education authorities, aiding in the resolution of barriers to distance online education and facilitating enhanced preparedness for potential future emergencies.
Keywords
Main Subjects
Abdi, Z., & Mohsenpour, M. (2021). Lived Experience of Adult English Learners Learning English on the Phone. Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills), 40(3), 1-40. https://doi: 10.22099/jtls.2021.40422.2991
Al Shlowiy, A. (2021). Tracking Saudi EFL students’ reflections of online learning during coronavirus: Different rounds. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.770786
Albiansyah, A., Hidayat, D.N., & Aringga, R. D. (2021). EFL students’ perceptions toward online English learning during the Covid-19 outbreak. English Language, Literature, and Teaching, 6(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.32528/ellite.v6i1.4460
Alolaywi, Y. (2021). Teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic: Teachers’ perspectives. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17(4), 2022-2045. https://doi.org/10.52462/jlls.146
Boonmoh, A., Jumpakate, Th., Saengmanee, S., & Rungkaew, T. (2022). Integration of technology during the Covid-19 pandemic: Experience, challenges and needs of Thai EFL teachers, rEFLections, 29 (2), 251-277.
Bozkurt, A., & Sharma, R. C. (2020). Emergency remote teaching in a time of global crisis due to coronavirus pandemic. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), i-vi.
Bozkurt, A., Jung, I., Xiao, J., Vladimirschi, V., Schuwer, R., Egorov, G.… & Paskevicius, M. (2020). A global outlook to the interruption of education due to COVID-19 pandemic: Navigating in a time of uncertainty and crisis. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 1-126. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3878572
Civelek, M., Toplu, I., & Uzun, L. (2021). Turkish EFL teachers’ attitudes towards online instruction throughout the covid-19 outbreak. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 4(2), 87-98. https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v4i2.3964
Coman, C., Tiru, L. G., Mesesan-Schmitz, L., Stanciu, C., & Bularca, M. C. (2020). Online teaching and learning in higher education during the coronavirus pandemic: Students’ perspective. Sustainability, 12(24), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410367
Dangal, M. R., & Maharjan, R. (2021). Health problems experienced in online learning during COVID-19 in Nepali universities. International Journal of Online Graduate Education, 4(1), 1-14.
ed.). Jossey-Bass, Cop.
Farrah, M., & Al-Bakry, G. H. (2020). Online learning for EFL students in Palestinian universities during corona pandemic: Advantages, challenges and solutions. Indonesian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 3(2), 65-78. https://doi.org/10.25134/ijli.v3i2.3677
Ghanbari, N., & Nowroozi, S. (2022). Iranian EFL teachers’ challenges and coping strategies during Covid-19 Pandemic: A case study. The Qualitative Report, 27(3), 605-625. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5066
Gibson, W., & Brown, A. (2009). Working with qualitative data. Sage.
Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Sage.
Hartnett, M. K. (2016). Motivation in online education. Springer.
Hassani, V. (2021). The impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on English language teacher education in Iran: Challenges and opportunities. Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills), 40(3), 83-116. doi: 10.22099/jtls.2021.39716.2941
Hedayati, H., & Marandi, S. S. (2014). Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of the difficulties of implementing CALL. ReCALL, 26(3), 298–314. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344014000172
Henriques, S., Correia, J. D., & Dias-Trindade, S. (2021). Portuguese primary and secondary education in times of COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study on teacher training and challenges. Educ. Sci., 11(542), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090542
Hermansyah, H., & Aridah, A. (2021). Teachers’ perception toward the challenges in online English teaching during covid-19 pandemic. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 6(1), 63-77. https://doi.org/10.21462/ijefl.v6i1.342
Holmberg, B. (1995). Theory and practice of distance education (2nd ed.). Routledge
Huang, M., Shi, Y., Yang, X. (2021). Emergency remote teaching of English as a foreign language during Covid-19: Perspectives from a university in China. International Journal of Educational Research and Innovation (IJERI), 15, 400-418. https://doi.org/10.46661/ijeri.5351
Jalilinia, F. (2021). Iranian high school EFL learners’ attitude towards online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 9(4), 442–451. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v9i4.4225
Kaya, H. (2020). Investigation of the effect of online education on eye health in Covid-19 pandemic. International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 7(3), 488-496. https://doi.org/10.21449/ijate.788078
Khanna, R., & Kareem, J. (2021). Creating inclusive spaces in virtual classroom sessions during the COVID pandemic: An exploratory study of primary class teachers in India. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2(2), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100038
Khatoony, S., & Nezhadmehr, M. (2020). EFL teachers’ challenges in integration of technology for online classrooms during Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Iran. AJELP: Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 9, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol8.sp./1.202
Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2010). Teaching online: A practical guide (3rd ed). Routledge.
Lasekan, O. A., Malik, R., & Méndez, C.M. (2020). A conceptual research model for investigating the impact of online teacherpreneurship education on students‘teacherpreneurial competencies and intentions in preservice teacher education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(12), 163-189.
Mahyoob, M. (2020). Challenges of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by EFL learners. Arab World English Journal, 11(4), 351-362. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no4.23
Malekolkalami, M. (2020). The perception of Iranian teachers on online teaching using digital carrier during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Digital Content Management, 1(1), 109-126. https://doi.org/10.22054/DCM.2020.56288.1007
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA Jossey Bass.
Mercer, S. (2021). An agenda for well-being in ELT: An ecological perspective. ELT Journal, 75 (1), 14–21.
Mirza, H. S., Murdaah, F. Z., & Moussawi, N. S. (2021). Covid19 and remote teaching: Perceptions of the teachers at the Lebanese University. American Academic & Scholarly Research Journal, 13(4).12-22.
Moqadam-Tabriz, M. (2018). Investigating the effectiveness of an online course in English language teaching program in a rural Iranian context. Language Teaching and Educational Research, 1(2), 175-186.
Nartiningrum, N., & Nugroho, A. (2020). Online learning amidst global pandemic: EFL students’ challenges, suggestions, and needed materials. English Franca: Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 4(2), 115-140. https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v4i2.1494
Pham, L. T. Thu., & Phan, A. N. Q. (2023). “Let’s accept it”: Vietnamese university language teachers’ emotion in online synchronous teaching in response to COVID-19. Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 40 (1), 115-124, 10.1080/20590776.2021.2000321.
Pham, M. T., Luu, T. T. U., Mai, T. H. U., Thai, T. T. T., & Ngo, T. C. T. (2021). EFL students' challenges of online courses at Van Lang University during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(2), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22221
Rahiem, M. (2020). The emergency remote learning experience of university students in Indonesia amidst the COVID-19 crisis. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. 19(6), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.6.1
Rahim, M. N., & Chandran, S. S. (2021). Investigating EFL students’ perceptions on E-learning paradigm-shift during Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of English Language Studies, 3(1), 56-66.
Rahman, K. (2020). Learning amid crisis: EFL students’ perception on online learning during COVID-19 outbreak. English, Teaching, Learning, and Research Journal, 6(2), 179-194.
Riazi, M., A., Ghanbar, H., & Rezvani, R. (2023). Qualitative data coding and analysis: A systematic review of the papers published in the journal of second language writing. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 11(1), 25-47.
Riazi, M., A., Rezvani, R. & Ghanbar, H. (2023). Trustworthiness in L2 writing research: A review and analysis of qualitative articles in the Journal of Second Language Writing. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 2 (3), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2023.100065
Sepulveda-Escobar, P., & Morrison, A. (2020). Online teaching placement during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile: Challenges and opportunities. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 587-607. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1820981
Shahnama, M., Yazdanmehr, E., & Elahi Shirvan, M. (2021). Challenges of online language teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic: A process tracing approach. Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills), 40(3), 159-195. doi: 10.22099/jtls.2021.40964.3015
Shahrokni, S. A., & Sadeqjoola, L. (2015). Iranian EFL teachers’ perception, familiarity and use of web 2.0 tools in TEFL. Teaching English with Technology, 15(3), 31–46.
Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22(2), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-2004-22201
Sofianidis, A., Meletiou-Mavrotheris, M., Konstantinou, P., Stylianidou, N., & Katzis, K. (2021). Let students talk about Emergency Remote Teaching experience: Secondary Students' Perceptions on Their Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Education Sciences, 11(6), 268, 2-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060268
Sundarwati, E & Pahlevi, M. (2021). EFL teachers’ challenges and opportunities of emergency remote teaching during the covid-19 pandemic: Narrative inquiry. Language and Education Journal Undiksha, 4(2), 74-85. https://ejournal.undiksha.ac.id/index.php/JJPBI
Syafrayani, P. R., Ginting, P., Hasnah, Y., & Saragih, M. (2022). Unpacking the opportunities and challenges in learning speaking online during Covid-19 outbreak: A case-study of Indonesian EFL college students. Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 9(2), 109-129. https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v9i2.10940
Tafazoli, D. (2021). CALL teachers' professional development amid the COVID-19 outbreak: A qualitative study. Computer Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 22(2). 4-13.
Tracy, S. (2020). Qualitative research methods. Wiley-Blackwell.
Tümen- Akyildiz, S., Çelik, V., & Hussein Ahmed, K. (2021). The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on EFL classes through the lenses of secondary learners. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 9(4), 389–406. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v9i4.4210
Wang, Y. (2023). Probing into the boredom of online instruction among Chinese English language teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Curr Psychol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04223-3
White, C. (2003). Language learning in distance education. Cambridge University Press.
Zboun, J. S. & Farrah, M. (2021). Students’ perspectives of online language learning during corona pandemic: Benefits and challenges. Indonesian EFL Journal, 7(1), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.25134/ieflj.v7i1.3986
Zhang, K., & Wu, H. (2022). Synchronous online learning during COVID-19: Chinese university EFL students’ perspectives. SAGE Open, 12(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221094821
', './data/jtls/coversheet/cover_en.jpg'))