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Impacts of online education during COVID-19 on teaching English in rural state schools in Türkiye

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 3, 536 - 553, 30.09.2023
https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.1214555

Abstract

It is a commonly experienced fact that teaching English as a foreign language in rural areas is challenging for language teachers around the world. This study explored the actual challenges that teachers of English faced at rural state schools before and during COVID-19. To find out the regarding problems, an open-ended questionnaire was administered to 46 participants working at public schools as teachers of English in different regions of Türkiye. Additionally, to have a deeper understanding of the challenges that teachers of English faced during COVID-19 period, the reports from the focused group discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The discussions were held by 29 teachers of English working in the same rural district. The results revealed that teachers had some common difficulties deriving from school facilities, poor infrastructure, inadequate technology, instructional materials, students’ language levels, attitudes towards language learning and teacher competencies. The study also shed light on the positive impacts of the online education on teaching English as a foreign language in rural areas during COVID-19 pandemic in relation with the technological challenges and its effect on decreasing the urban-rural divide.

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References

  • Adnan, M. & Anwar, K. (2020). Online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Students’ perspectives. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2(1).
  • Alex, K. (2019). Distance education at the grassroots and assessment procedures. The case of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Creative Education, 10, 78-96. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.101006.
  • Alipio, M.M. (2020). Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in a less-economically developed country ready for e-learning? ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Kiel, Hamburg.
  • Arshad, M. (2012). Impact of parents’ profession on their children’s learning English in Pakistan. International Journal of Learning & Development, 2(1), 44-56.
  • Atmojo, A. E. P., & Nugroho, A. (2020). EFL classes must go online! Teaching activities and challenges during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Register Journal, 13(1), 49-76. https://doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v13i1.49-76.
  • Bailey, D. R., & Lee, A. R. (2020). Learning from experience in the midst of COVID-19: Benefits, challenges, and strategies in online teaching. Computer-Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 21(2), 178-198.
  • Bayzan, Ş. (2023). Parent opinions on distance education practices in the emergency remote education period in Turkey. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 6(2), 273-294
  • Bulter, Y. G. (2005). Comparative perspectives towards communicative activities among elementary school teachers in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 9(4), 423-446. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168805lr176oa.
  • Cavanaugh, C.S. (2001). The Effectiveness of Interactive Distance Education Technologies in K-12 Learning: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 7(1), 73-88.
  • Church, M. A., Elliot, A. J., & Gable, S. L. (2001). Perceptions of classroom environment, achievement goals, and achievement outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(1), 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.43
  • Creswell, J.W., (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
  • Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies. Oxford University Press.
  • Emery, H. (2012). A global study of primary English teachers’ qualifications, training and career development. (ELT Research Paper No.12-08). British Council. Retrieved from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/B487_ELTRP_Emery_ResearchPaper_FINAL_web_ V2.pdf.
  • Endriyati, Prabowo, Abasa, & Akmal. (2019). Challenges in teaching English at rural and urban schools and their solutions. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8(10), 3706–3710.
  • Erarslan, A. (2021) English language teaching and learning during COVID-19 a global perspective on the first year. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 4(2), 349-367. https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.907757.
  • Fatiloro, O.F. (2015). Tackling the Challenges of Teaching English Language as Second Language (ESL) In Nigeria. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 5(2), 26-30.
  • Febriana, M. (2018). Teaching in rural Indonesian schools: Teachers’ challenges. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 5(5), 11-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v5i5.305.
  • Fred, L., & Perry, J. (2005). Research in applied linguistics. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Hansen-Thomas, H., Richins, L.G., Kakkar, K. & Okeyo, C. (2016). I do not feel I am properly trained to help them! Rural teachers’ perceptions of challenges and needs with English-language learners, Professional Development in Education, 42(2), 308-324. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.973528.
  • Hodges, C. B., Moore, S., Lockee, B. B., Trust, T., & Bond, M. A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote- teaching-andonline-learning.
  • Hossain, M. (2016). English language teaching in rural areas: A scenario and problems and prospects in context of Bangladesh. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(3).
  • Kaygısız, S. & Balçıkanlı, C. (2021). Is it possible to teach English through EBA TV? Exploring student teachers’ concerns and self-efficacy beliefs. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 4(3), 489-502.
  • Khan, I. A. (2011). Challenges of teaching/learning English and management. Global Journal of Human Social Science.11, 68-79.
  • Khulel, B. (2021). Teaching English for young learners: Teachers’ challenges. Lingua. 17(2).
  • Kılınç, H. H. & Medeni, F. (2023). The views of teachers on distance education during Covid-19 process. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 6(1), 221-233.
  • Kızılaslan, I. (2012) Teaching in rural Türkiye: Pre-service teacher perspectives, European Journal of Teacher Education, 35(2), 243-254. DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2011.643394
  • Kızıltan, N. & Atlı, İ. (2018). An analysis of native and foreign language competence of Turkish young learners. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14 (2), 252-264. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/jlls/issue/43364/527977
  • Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2005). What happens when teachers design educational technology? The development of technological pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 32(2), 131–152.
  • Krippendorff, K. (1989). Content analysis. In E. Barnouw, G. Gerbner, W. Schramm, T. L. Worth, & L. Gross (Eds.), International encyclopedia of communication (Vol. 1, pp. 403-407). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/226
  • Kuehl, R. (2021). Review of teaching in rural places: Thriving in rural classrooms, schools, and communities. Virginia English Journal, 71(2).
  • Kusuma, I. P. I. (2022). EFL teachers’ online teaching in rural schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: Stories from Indonesia. Studies in English Language and Education, 9(1), 203-221.
  • Littlewood, W. (2007). Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms. Language Teaching, 243-259.
  • Merton, R.K., Fiske, M., & Kendall, P. L. (1990). The focused interview: A Manuel of problems and procedures. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press.
  • Mishra, B. (2015). Innovative ways of English language teaching in rural India through technology. International Journal of English and Literature. 6(2), 38-44
  • Muilenburg, L. Y. & Berge, Z. L. (2005). Student barriers to online learning: A factor analytic study. Distance Education, 26(1), 29-48
  • Mukattash, L. (1983). The problem of difficulty in foreign language learning. Amman, Jordan: University of Jordan.
  • Öğdül, H. (2010). Urban and Rural Definitions in Regional Context: A Case Study on Türkiye. European Planning Studies - EUR PLAN STUD. 18, 1519-1541. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2010.492589.
  • Pande, V. B. (2013). Problems and remedies in teaching English as a second language Confluence, 416-421.
  • Potter, J., & Levine-Donnerstein, D. (1999). Rethinking validity and reliability in content analysis. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 27(3): 258–284.
  • Songbatumis, A. M. (2017). Challenges in teaching English faced by English teachers at MTsN Taliwang, Indonesia. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Learning, 2(2), 54-67.
  • Sönmez, M., Yıldırım, K., & Çetinkaya, F. Ç. (2020). Evaluation of distance education process due to new type of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) pandemic with the opinions of elementary school classroom teachers. Turkish Studies, 15(6), 855-875.
  • Tekin, S. & Garton, S. (2020). L1 in the primary English classroom: How much, when, how and why? Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research. 8(3), 77-97.
  • Telli, S.G. & Altun, D. (2021). Online learning during Coronavirus (COVID-19 pandemic period. Journal of University Research. 4(2), 90-107.
  • Tosun, N. (2021). Distance education practices at universities in Turkey: A case study during COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 13(1), 313-333.
  • Weber, R. (1990). Basic content analysis (2nd Ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
  • Yamamoto, G. T. & Altun, D. (2020). The Coronavirus and the rising of online education. Journal of University Research. 3(1), 25-34.
  • Yarrow, A., Ballantyne, R., Hansford, B., Herschell, & P., Millwater, J. (1999). Teaching in rural and remote schools: A literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 15(1), 1-13.
Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 3, 536 - 553, 30.09.2023
https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.1214555

Abstract

Project Number

-

References

  • Adnan, M. & Anwar, K. (2020). Online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Students’ perspectives. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2(1).
  • Alex, K. (2019). Distance education at the grassroots and assessment procedures. The case of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Creative Education, 10, 78-96. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.101006.
  • Alipio, M.M. (2020). Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in a less-economically developed country ready for e-learning? ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Kiel, Hamburg.
  • Arshad, M. (2012). Impact of parents’ profession on their children’s learning English in Pakistan. International Journal of Learning & Development, 2(1), 44-56.
  • Atmojo, A. E. P., & Nugroho, A. (2020). EFL classes must go online! Teaching activities and challenges during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Register Journal, 13(1), 49-76. https://doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v13i1.49-76.
  • Bailey, D. R., & Lee, A. R. (2020). Learning from experience in the midst of COVID-19: Benefits, challenges, and strategies in online teaching. Computer-Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 21(2), 178-198.
  • Bayzan, Ş. (2023). Parent opinions on distance education practices in the emergency remote education period in Turkey. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 6(2), 273-294
  • Bulter, Y. G. (2005). Comparative perspectives towards communicative activities among elementary school teachers in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 9(4), 423-446. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168805lr176oa.
  • Cavanaugh, C.S. (2001). The Effectiveness of Interactive Distance Education Technologies in K-12 Learning: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 7(1), 73-88.
  • Church, M. A., Elliot, A. J., & Gable, S. L. (2001). Perceptions of classroom environment, achievement goals, and achievement outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(1), 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.43
  • Creswell, J.W., (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
  • Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies. Oxford University Press.
  • Emery, H. (2012). A global study of primary English teachers’ qualifications, training and career development. (ELT Research Paper No.12-08). British Council. Retrieved from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/B487_ELTRP_Emery_ResearchPaper_FINAL_web_ V2.pdf.
  • Endriyati, Prabowo, Abasa, & Akmal. (2019). Challenges in teaching English at rural and urban schools and their solutions. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8(10), 3706–3710.
  • Erarslan, A. (2021) English language teaching and learning during COVID-19 a global perspective on the first year. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 4(2), 349-367. https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.907757.
  • Fatiloro, O.F. (2015). Tackling the Challenges of Teaching English Language as Second Language (ESL) In Nigeria. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 5(2), 26-30.
  • Febriana, M. (2018). Teaching in rural Indonesian schools: Teachers’ challenges. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 5(5), 11-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v5i5.305.
  • Fred, L., & Perry, J. (2005). Research in applied linguistics. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Hansen-Thomas, H., Richins, L.G., Kakkar, K. & Okeyo, C. (2016). I do not feel I am properly trained to help them! Rural teachers’ perceptions of challenges and needs with English-language learners, Professional Development in Education, 42(2), 308-324. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.973528.
  • Hodges, C. B., Moore, S., Lockee, B. B., Trust, T., & Bond, M. A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote- teaching-andonline-learning.
  • Hossain, M. (2016). English language teaching in rural areas: A scenario and problems and prospects in context of Bangladesh. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(3).
  • Kaygısız, S. & Balçıkanlı, C. (2021). Is it possible to teach English through EBA TV? Exploring student teachers’ concerns and self-efficacy beliefs. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 4(3), 489-502.
  • Khan, I. A. (2011). Challenges of teaching/learning English and management. Global Journal of Human Social Science.11, 68-79.
  • Khulel, B. (2021). Teaching English for young learners: Teachers’ challenges. Lingua. 17(2).
  • Kılınç, H. H. & Medeni, F. (2023). The views of teachers on distance education during Covid-19 process. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 6(1), 221-233.
  • Kızılaslan, I. (2012) Teaching in rural Türkiye: Pre-service teacher perspectives, European Journal of Teacher Education, 35(2), 243-254. DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2011.643394
  • Kızıltan, N. & Atlı, İ. (2018). An analysis of native and foreign language competence of Turkish young learners. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14 (2), 252-264. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/jlls/issue/43364/527977
  • Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2005). What happens when teachers design educational technology? The development of technological pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 32(2), 131–152.
  • Krippendorff, K. (1989). Content analysis. In E. Barnouw, G. Gerbner, W. Schramm, T. L. Worth, & L. Gross (Eds.), International encyclopedia of communication (Vol. 1, pp. 403-407). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/226
  • Kuehl, R. (2021). Review of teaching in rural places: Thriving in rural classrooms, schools, and communities. Virginia English Journal, 71(2).
  • Kusuma, I. P. I. (2022). EFL teachers’ online teaching in rural schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: Stories from Indonesia. Studies in English Language and Education, 9(1), 203-221.
  • Littlewood, W. (2007). Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms. Language Teaching, 243-259.
  • Merton, R.K., Fiske, M., & Kendall, P. L. (1990). The focused interview: A Manuel of problems and procedures. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press.
  • Mishra, B. (2015). Innovative ways of English language teaching in rural India through technology. International Journal of English and Literature. 6(2), 38-44
  • Muilenburg, L. Y. & Berge, Z. L. (2005). Student barriers to online learning: A factor analytic study. Distance Education, 26(1), 29-48
  • Mukattash, L. (1983). The problem of difficulty in foreign language learning. Amman, Jordan: University of Jordan.
  • Öğdül, H. (2010). Urban and Rural Definitions in Regional Context: A Case Study on Türkiye. European Planning Studies - EUR PLAN STUD. 18, 1519-1541. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2010.492589.
  • Pande, V. B. (2013). Problems and remedies in teaching English as a second language Confluence, 416-421.
  • Potter, J., & Levine-Donnerstein, D. (1999). Rethinking validity and reliability in content analysis. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 27(3): 258–284.
  • Songbatumis, A. M. (2017). Challenges in teaching English faced by English teachers at MTsN Taliwang, Indonesia. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Learning, 2(2), 54-67.
  • Sönmez, M., Yıldırım, K., & Çetinkaya, F. Ç. (2020). Evaluation of distance education process due to new type of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) pandemic with the opinions of elementary school classroom teachers. Turkish Studies, 15(6), 855-875.
  • Tekin, S. & Garton, S. (2020). L1 in the primary English classroom: How much, when, how and why? Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research. 8(3), 77-97.
  • Telli, S.G. & Altun, D. (2021). Online learning during Coronavirus (COVID-19 pandemic period. Journal of University Research. 4(2), 90-107.
  • Tosun, N. (2021). Distance education practices at universities in Turkey: A case study during COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 13(1), 313-333.
  • Weber, R. (1990). Basic content analysis (2nd Ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
  • Yamamoto, G. T. & Altun, D. (2020). The Coronavirus and the rising of online education. Journal of University Research. 3(1), 25-34.
  • Yarrow, A., Ballantyne, R., Hansford, B., Herschell, & P., Millwater, J. (1999). Teaching in rural and remote schools: A literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 15(1), 1-13.
There are 47 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Studies on Education
Journal Section Articles
Authors

İsmail Çakır 0000-0002-7497-3249

Serap Bayhan 0000-0002-6878-453X

Project Number -
Publication Date September 30, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 6 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Çakır, İ., & Bayhan, S. (2023). Impacts of online education during COVID-19 on teaching English in rural state schools in Türkiye. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 6(3), 536-553. https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.1214555


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