Adopting Synchronous Teaching Technologies in Online ELT Classrooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic at Technological Education Institutes

Abstract

During the global pandemic, the entire education process has evolved significantly over the online platform by integrating technologies. Thus, the teaching/learning process has raised new challenges and opportunities. In the traditional classroom, the learning environment is much more effective due to the inherent synchronous method. However, the online teaching approaches are also enriched by adopting different synchronous approaches such as online teaching over video conferencing, use of instant messages during the class, and Zoom breakout rooms and Google Docs for online activities to deliver sessions same as a physical classroom. The research question is about approaches to adopt synchronous teaching methods effectively, which is based on the hypothesis, whether the technologies are effectively adopted to deliver the true experience of synchronous teaching for the learner. In methodology, the literature is the priority consideration to understand the present use of technologies, then a group of English lecturers from Sri Lanka Institutes of Advanced Technological Institute (SLIATE) selected based on the purposive sampling for a semi structured interview, and their shared experiences were recorded and then analysed based on thematic analysis. Secondly, to understand the learning experience via the online platform, the online structured questionnaire was delivered to the students at the same technological institute who learn English as a Second Language using different technologies, and those quantitative responses were analysed descriptively to understand their trends. The findings over the mixed method are incorporated to describe the scenarios in detail, then the recommendations are raised for effective implementation of synchronous approaches for online classroom assuring similar experience as in the physical classroom. The theoretical framework is the outcome of this study to assure a better teaching-learning process.