What have we learnt from the COVID experience? Lessons for the future
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/slte.21678Keywords:
COVID, English Language Teaching, online, blended, hybridAbstract
This article reports on a study conducted at a university in North Cyprus which aimed to gather empirical evidence regarding both teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of online learning as experienced during the COVID pandemic. The study discovered that both teachers and students were aware of both advantages and disadvantages of the system which had been thrust upon them. Overall, most of the teachers favoured the development of some kind of blended/hybrid methodology, while a majority of the students favoured a return to in-class learning. Both teachers and students recognized a need to focus on physical and mental health, on assessment issues, and on issues of technology and connectivity. A major conclusion from the study is the urgent need for teacher education, both pre-service and in-service, to help teachers develop the digital knowledge and skills required for a successful blended/hybrid learning/teaching environment.
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