CercleS survey: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foreign language teaching in Higher Education

IF 0.7 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Language Learning in Higher Education Pub Date : 2021-10-01 DOI:10.1515/cercles-2021-2032

Katarina Zamborova, Isabella Stefanutti, B. Klimova

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引用次数: 11

Abstract

Abstract The pandemic may well have totally changed the way foreign languages are now being taught. In March 2020 language centres (LCs) in universities needed to adjust abruptly to online teaching with minimal resources or training for teachers. Research on the topic of the impact of the pandemic on teaching started from Day 1 and to date there have been contradictions about whether online learning is effective. The CercleS survey aims to study teachers’ reflections on teaching during the pandemic and on the future of foreign language instruction in Higher Education (HE). Data were collected between March 30 and May 5, 2021, and the answers reflect the voices of 725 teachers from CercleS national associations. The findings indicate that the teachers moved flexibly into the online mode of teaching despite limitations in technological resources and the absence of training: 32.4% of the respondents declared no hardware was provided by their institution for working from home and 40.6% were not relieved from other duties. However, 66% of the teachers reported that the learning outcomes were met by modifying specific assessment criteria. Simultaneous group dynamics seemed difficult to achieve in the online format in comparison to face-to-face interactions in the traditional classroom. The acquisition of language skills, mainly speaking, was a challenge. Generally, the respondents see the benefits of a blended/hybrid mode of instruction. Implications for teaching practices and stakeholders are as follows: develop guidelines defining criteria for different formats of delivery in language education, develop workshops for teachers, negotiate conditions needed to carry out efficient and sustainable language teaching with university executive boards, offer training for sustainable online and hybrid teaching and maintain, and develop international collaboration between LCs in HE (e.g. virtual exchange, staff exchange, virtual international classrooms).

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CercleS调查:新冠肺炎疫情对高校外语教学的影响

摘要新冠疫情很可能彻底改变了现在外语的教学方式。2020年3月，大学的语言中心（LC）需要突然调整为在线教学，只需最少的资源或教师培训。关于疫情对教学影响的研究从第一天开始，到目前为止，在线学习是否有效一直存在矛盾。CercleS的调查旨在研究教师对疫情期间教学和高等教育外语教学未来的反思。数据是在2021年3月30日至5月5日期间收集的，答案反映了来自CercleS全国协会的725名教师的声音。调查结果表明，尽管技术资源有限且缺乏培训，但教师们还是灵活地进入了在线教学模式：32.4%的受访者表示，他们的机构没有提供在家工作的硬件，40.6%的人没有免除其他职责。然而，66%的教师报告说，通过修改具体的评估标准达到了学习结果。与传统课堂上的面对面互动相比，在线形式似乎很难实现同时的群体动态。掌握语言技能，主要是口语，是一项挑战。一般来说，受访者看到了混合/混合教学模式的好处。对教学实践和利益相关者的影响如下：制定指导方针，定义语言教育中不同教学形式的标准，为教师举办研讨会，与大学执行委员会协商开展高效和可持续语言教学所需的条件，提供可持续在线和混合教学培训，以及在高等教育领域发展LC之间的国际合作（例如虚拟交流、员工交流、虚拟国际教室）。

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来源期刊

Language Learning in Higher Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

1.00

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Language Learning in Higher Education deals with the most relevant aspects of language acquisition at university. The CercleS journal presents the outcomes of research on language teaching, blended learning and autonomous learning, language assessment as well as aspects of professional development, quality assurance and university language policy. Its aim is to increase the quality of language teaching and learning programmes offered by university language centers and other providers in higher education by presenting new models and by disseminating the best results of research activities carried out at language centers and in other higher education departments.