Page 35 - ELG2202 Feb Issue 479

FEATURES & COMMENT

into smaller teams, each one responsible for
a specific task.
The digital tools team was responsible for
checking different digital tools to evaluate
which ones would be suitable for online use.
During training sessions, they introduced
the teachers to tools they could integrate
into their lessons to help get students
more engaged. The training team planned
a programme to help their colleagues with
planning and teaching online, coordinating
with the digital tool team to deliver coherent
training to staff.
Meanwhile, the material designing team
worked on changing the content to fit the
digital classroom, which did not happen
overnight. At first, the content was changed
into Google forms with automated answers.
Then the team helped both teachers and
students to upgrade these forms to include
the texts from the course books and, later,
videos as well.

Teaching through Zoom
was quite a challenge,
but with a lot of support,
teachers finally managed
PHOTO PIXABAY it successfully

Back at the training team, they were helping
the teachers with live teaching. Teaching
through Zoom was quite a challenge, but with
enrolled with and thus some of the training have proper connectivity or suitable a lot of support, teachers finally managed to do
needed to be faculty based. Mixed classes devices at home. it successfully.
remained a problem, with lesson timetabling 2. Conditions. Everyone was home, so Then, a few months later, the university
a never-ending challenge. teachers had to look after their families moved all its digital content to Blackboard, so
Pre-Covid, the training was planned for as well as their students. Students were it was important to teach both students and
face-to-face, with very little attention given under a lot of stress and struggling to teachers to collaborate live. The screen-casting
to online teaching. In 2019, when I trained cope with a situation where most of team helped train coordinators. Replicating
teachers to use Google classrooms, they were them did not have a private place to the physical class helped during the times of
overwhelmed. But when I actually started a work online. total lockdown or when teachers went down
Google classroom, things started to make sense 3. Motivation. The lack of meaningful with Covid.
to them. interaction and engagement between The journey goes on and the training
teachers and students in an online continues (we are still in the during-pandemic
During the pandemic context was due to the lack of phase as I write this).
Before March 2020, teachers had some preparedness on both sides. The sudden Training teachers will never stop as long
set-in-stone teaching techniques they had change in the mode of delivery affected as management and teachers believe in
accumulated through the years. Then, both teachers and students. They spent professional development. And as long as
suddenly, everything they had taken for longer hours in front of their screens, there is constant change in the teachers’
granted changed. Lessons and classes were yet felt lost at the end. backgrounds, knowledge level and attitudes
all moved to digital provision and thus the 4. Tech skills. Most teachers and students – not forgetting the students’ interests and
teacher training perspective changed. were not digitally ready. Also, some did attitudes as well.
A lot of challenges faced every member of not have the proper devices or reliable The method of training will also vary, but
staff and all the students. The situation was internet connection to get into the one important thing I have learned on my
chaotic and it took the English Language learning process. journey is that the one-size-fits-all recipe
Centre some time to adjust. 5. Choice of content. All the course never ends successfully.
There were five factors that affected materials were designed for face-
teaching and learning in the new context to-face use and the time it took the Abeer Okaz is the DOS
English Language Centre to digitalise and educational consultant
1. Instructors’ attitudes. Teachers were the material was another factor in the at Pharos University in
in shock and outside their comfort loss of motivation among students. Alexandria, Egypt. She is
zone. They were under a lot of pressure, also a CELTA tutor and
torn between their families and new In terms of training, it was evident that NILE consultant with over
work obligations. Moving online meant management would not be able to do 23 years of experience in ELT, both locally
working longer hours to plan lessons everything at once, so we took a bottom-up and internationally.
and mark assignments. Some did not approach. We started by dividing teachers
editorial@elgazette.com 35