Nepalese EFL Teachers’ Digital Literacy for Online Teaching

  • Mohan Singh Saud Far Western University, Dhangadhi, Nepal
Keywords: Digital literacy, EFL teachers, online teaching, global pandemic, face-to-face teaching

Abstract

The face-to-face mode of delivery had significantly been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its spread, the government had suspended the traditional classroom teaching system, requiring its alternative online teaching instead. Accordingly, English teachers needed to be prepared with the necessary digital literacy skills for effective online teaching. Considering this situation, this study sought to survey the digital literacy skills of secondary school level English teachers of Nepal to check their preparedness for online delivery. A questionnaire was prepared through Google Docs and circulated to English teachers through emails and Messenger. Data was collected using the snowball-sampling method. Altogether, 426 English teachers across the country participated in this study. This study found that secondary school-level English teachers possess the necessary digital literacy skills like word processing, the use of the Internet, downloading, online presentations, and hence, are prepared for an online teaching mode.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Mohan Singh Saud, Far Western University, Dhangadhi, Nepal

Mohan Singh Saud is an Associate Professor, writer, poet, editor and researcher. He has produced many ELT coursebooks including Grade XI Compulsory English textbook published by the Government of Nepal and English Grammar Today. He has also published some articles in different journals and presented papers in conferences. He is the Advisory Board member of Linguistic Forum – A Journal of Linguistics (Pakistan) and the Editor-in-Chief of Scholars’ Journal: A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal published by Scholars’ Association of Nepal, and the editor of International Journal of English Language Education (IJELE) (USA) and ELT Choutari (Nepal). Currently he is doing his PhD from Graduate School of Education, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. His areas of interests in research include grammar teaching, teachers’ professional development, medium of instruction, English medium instruction (EMI), mother tongue-based medium of instruction, teaching English as an international language, English language teachers’ training and education, linguistic diversity and globalization.

References

Abdulamir, A. S., & Hafidh, R. R. (2020). The possible immunological pathways for the variable Immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 infections among healthy adults, elderly and children. Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 17(4), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/7850

Acharya, C. P. (2014). Use of ICT/web tools in ELT in Nepal. Journal of NELTA, 19(1-2), 1-16.

Aliyyah, R. R., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., Syaodih, E., Nurtanto, M., & Tambunan, A. R. S. (2020). The perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A case study in Indonesia. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 7(2), 90-109.

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.

Aydin, S. (2013). Teachers' perceptions about the use of computers in EFL teaching and learning: The case of Turkey. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 26(3), 214-233.

Basilaia, G., & Kvavadze, D. (2020). Transition to online education in schools during a SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Georgia. Pedagogical Research, 5(4), 1-9.

Çam, E., & Kiyici, M. (2017). Perceptions of prospective teachers on digital literacy. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 5(4), 29-44.

Chen, Y. L. (2008). A mixed-method study of EFL teachers’ Internet use in language instruction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(4), 1015-1028.

Chung, E., Subramaniam, G., & Dass, L. C. (2020). Online learning readiness among university students in Malaysia amidst Covid-19. Asian Journal of University Education, 16(2), 45-58.

Cote, T., & Milliner, B. (2018). A survey of EFL teachers’ digital literacy: A report from a Japanese university. Teaching English with Technology, 18(4), 71-89.

Daniel, S. J. (2020). Education and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospects, 1-6.

Dashtestani, R. & Hojatpanah, S. (2020). Digital literacy of EFL students in a junior high school in Iran: voices of teachers, students and Ministry Directors. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1744664

Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), 5-22.

Digital Literacy Task Force. (2013). Digital literacy, libraries, and public policy. Report of the Office of Information Technology Policy’s Digital Literacy Task Force. Retrieved from http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2012_OITP-digilitreport_1_22_13.pdf

Lawrence, S. A., & Calhoun, F. (2013). Exploring teachers’ perceptions of literacy and use of technology in classroom practice: Analysis of self-reported practice in one school district. Journal of Literacy and Technology, 14(1), 51-71.

MacIntyre, P. D., Gregersen, T., & Mercer, S. (2020). Language teachers' coping strategies during the Covid-19 conversion to online teaching: Correlations with stress, wellbeing and negative emotions. System. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102352

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.

Moorhouse, B. L. (2020). Adaptations to a face-to-face initial teacher education course ‘forced’online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Education for Teaching, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1755205

Mudra, H. (2020). Digital literacy among young learners: How do EFL teachers and learners view its benefits and barriers?. Teaching English with Technology, 20(3), 3-24.

Rana, K., Greenwood, J., Fox-Turnbull, W., & Wise, S. (2018). A shift from traditional pedagogy in Nepali Rural Primary Schools? Rural teachers’ capacity to reflect ICT policy in their practice. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, 14(3).

Son, J. B., Robb, T., & Charismiadji, I. (2011). Computer literacy and competency: A survey of Indonesian teachers of English as a foreign language. Computer-Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal (CALL-EJ), 12(1), 26-42.

Thapaliya, M. P. (2014). English teachers’ perceptions and practices of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Kathmandu district, Nepal. International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review, 2(10), 251-258.

Uscher-Pines, L., Schwartz, H. L., Ahmed, F., Zheteyeva, Y., Meza, E., Baker, G., & Uzicanin, A. (2018). School practices to promote social distancing in K-12 schools: review of influenza pandemic policies and practices. BMC Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5302-3

Published
2021-04-24
How to Cite
Saud, M. S. (2021). Nepalese EFL Teachers’ Digital Literacy for Online Teaching. REiLA : Journal of Research and Innovation in Language, 3(1), 61-70. https://doi.org/10.31849/reila.v3i1.6129
Abstract viewed = 735 times
PDF downloaded = 504 times