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Original article
Challenges of Online Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an English as a Foreign Language Context: A Process Tracing Approach
Majid Elahi Shirvan
University of Bojnord
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3363-8273
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has affected educational systems around the world and has forced education systems to shift to online learning. The present study was motivated to explore the challenges (common technology-driven and content-specific challenges) facing an English as a foreign language teacher throughout an online English course in Iran. The main participant of this study was a female teacher, with 17 years of experience in teaching English to children, teenagers, and adults. To this aim, a process-tracing approach was employed in an online English class with 10 female students, all teenagers, to unravel the causal mechanisms involved in the beginning, middle and end of the English course. The results showed that the greatest challenges throughout the course especially in initial and mid sessions were caused by deficient technological resources. The two other causal categories, human and content resources, were at their peak early in the course and then reduced significantly by the end. The most troublesome challenges the teacher faced were platform limitations, internet connection and human resources’ unpreparedness for online education. Though the teacher’s as well as most students’ technological knowledge and media literacy showed an increase by the end of the course, some students’ slow adaptation challenged the teacher until the end. As for the content-based challenges, teaching vocabulary and speaking was considered the most challenging one due to lack of teacher’s physical contact with students.
Keywords
technology-driven challenges, content-based challenges, online education, English a foreign Language (EFL), teacher, process tracing, Iran
Figure 1
Tahereh Taherian
commented on 12 January, 2021
The is a timely study with an innovative method to trace the causes of challenges foreign language teachers face in their online courses during COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the study have given deep insights into the current concerns of these teachers in the current critical conditions. Also, the procedures provided in the method section can be followed by other researchers for the exploration of relevant concepts with a dynamic nature. It should be noted that the use of process tracing has been recently introduced in our field by Hiver and Al-Hoorie (2019): Hiver, P., & Al-Hoorie, A. H. (2019). Research methods for complexity theory in applied linguistics. Multilingual Matters.
Peyman Nasrabady
commented on 14 January, 2021
Interesting findings and an innovative method! The study reveals the underpinning causes for the challenges we as teachers of English language encounter in our online classes. They are so common with my own teaching experiences these days.
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This preprint is under consideration at Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Original article
Challenges of Online Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an English as a Foreign Language Context: A Process Tracing Approach
Majid Elahi Shirvan
University of Bojnord
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3363-8273
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 11 Jan, 2021
Community comments: 2
Editor assigned
On 03 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 03 Jan, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 03 Jan, 2021
First submitted
On 29 Dec, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 2
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has affected educational systems around the world and has forced education systems to shift to online learning. The present study was motivated to explore the challenges (common technology-driven and content-specific challenges) facing an English as a foreign language teacher throughout an online English course in Iran. The main participant of this study was a female teacher, with 17 years of experience in teaching English to children, teenagers, and adults. To this aim, a process-tracing approach was employed in an online English class with 10 female students, all teenagers, to unravel the causal mechanisms involved in the beginning, middle and end of the English course. The results showed that the greatest challenges throughout the course especially in initial and mid sessions were caused by deficient technological resources. The two other causal categories, human and content resources, were at their peak early in the course and then reduced significantly by the end. The most troublesome challenges the teacher faced were platform limitations, internet connection and human resources’ unpreparedness for online education. Though the teacher’s as well as most students’ technological knowledge and media literacy showed an increase by the end of the course, some students’ slow adaptation challenged the teacher until the end. As for the content-based challenges, teaching vocabulary and speaking was considered the most challenging one due to lack of teacher’s physical contact with students.
Figure 1
Tahereh Taherian
commented on 12 January, 2021
The is a timely study with an innovative method to trace the causes of challenges foreign language teachers face in their online courses during COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the study have given deep insights into the current concerns of these teachers in the current critical conditions. Also, the procedures provided in the method section can be followed by other researchers for the exploration of relevant concepts with a dynamic nature. It should be noted that the use of process tracing has been recently introduced in our field by Hiver and Al-Hoorie (2019): Hiver, P., & Al-Hoorie, A. H. (2019). Research methods for complexity theory in applied linguistics. Multilingual Matters.
Peyman Nasrabady
commented on 14 January, 2021
Interesting findings and an innovative method! The study reveals the underpinning causes for the challenges we as teachers of English language encounter in our online classes. They are so common with my own teaching experiences these days.