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With the end of the COVID-19 threats, people may finally move past their severe existential dilemma. However, it has permanently altered every facet of human cognition and behaviour. The creation of a flexible framework to handle any such pandemic crises in the future is the main goal of the majority of retrospective evaluations and studies on its effects.
The pandemic disruption in the education system was huge across globe. It has led to closures of schools, training institutes, and higher education facilities worldwide, causing a paradigm shift in education delivery through online platforms (Muthuprasad et al., 2021; Zhao & Watterston, 2021). According to UNESCO, by the end of April 2020, 186 countries have implemented nationwide closures, affecting about 73.8% of the total enrolled learners (UNESCO, 2020a). This shift presents challenges for both teachers and students, as they must adapt to a new system, referred to as “Education in Emergency” (Howard et al., 2021, p.3).
The pandemic had forced teachers and students to quickly adapt to virtual education, resulting in emergency of remote teaching. Instruction has shifted online, then back to the physical classroom, or a combination of remote delivery and face-to-face, known as the HyFlex model (Beatty, 2019). Teachers had to adapt to this specific learning environment to create feasible and effective learning experiences (Lockee, 2021). Teachers and students experienced psychosocial effects such as self-discipline, loneliness, depression, and desperation due to lockdown, quarantine, or family member loss (Sang et al., 2021; Dayal & Pratibha, 2023).
The pandemic prompted parents and caregivers to become home-learning helpers, utilizing technology for daily learning, teaching, and assessment, despite initial confusion and anxiety (Dos Santos, 2022). Online digital interfaces were used for learning, teaching, and assessment (Bashir et al., 2021). Teachers from technologically less advanced countries faced challenges in providing necessary devices and internet access (Kundu & Bej, 2021a). Despite these challenges, they showed support and moral values by helping each other in difficult situations (Detyna et al., 2023).
Education systems globally prioritize delivering educational standards, creating a conducive environment for student well-being, nurturing social and interpersonal skills, and teaching moral values and daily routines (Farrell & Stanclik, 2023). These are the vulnerable areas that suffered greatly during the epidemic, and as research has shown, “Schools must reopen in order to continue providing guidance and support to students” (UNESCO, 2020b, p.7).
The reopening of schools has alleviated exhaustive online classes, but students and teachers are not happy yet since they have developed a habit to work online (Mahyoob, 2020; Mayrink, Albuquerque-Costa, & Ferraz, 2021; Kundu at al., 2022). The pandemic has blurred traditional and distance education lines, leading to a shift towards multi-mode delivery systems allowing for seamless transition across different systems (Radic et al., 2021).
During the pandemic, EFL teaching-learning has been significantly influenced by technology, with teachers adopting online applications to improve language proficiency (Khatoony & Nezhadmehr, 2020; Cutri et al., 2020; Kundu & Betal, 2022). Despite technical issues, most studies praised the positive impact of online learning, offering flexibility for teachers and learners (Rajat et al., 2020; Mahyoob, 2020; Bataineh et al., 2021; Kundu & Bej, 2021b; Kundu & Bej, 2021c).