Adaptation in the New Normal: Middle-Aged Teaching Employees’ Experiences in a Philippine State-Funded University

Abstract

The paper used a phenomenological approach to explore adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of middle-aged teaching employees at a state-funded university in Dapitan City, Philippines. Their experiences were categorized into three themes, the new normal, challenges in the new normal, and adaptation. The new normal is described as the combination of old and new technology; the adoption of new instructional modalities; the limitation of school activities; and a new form of work environment. The employees also faced challenges such as limitation in knowledge and access to educational technology, disengaged students, physical and mental limitations due to age, poor internet connectivity, students’ academic dishonesty, travel and institutional restriction, financial incapacity, difficulty and misperformed tasks, and an abrupt transitioning process. Conversely, adaptation is described as technological preparation, extended support, time extension, change of activities, new instructional modalities, course leniency, acceptance of reality, reaching out, and learning. Their experiences revealed that adaptation to the new normal did not come smoothly among middle-aged teaching employees since personal and institutional factors were considered. Though age matters in their adaptation, it did not hinder them from moving forward and becoming active individuals in the teaching-learning process. Further, it is recommended that higher education institutions create a specialized or more age-appropriate training program for middle-aged teaching employees in cases where disruptions occur.