Abstract
The growing utilisation of digital technologies in today’s complex and fast-changing world has taken the reality of education beyond the physical classroom. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many educational institutions to make hasty and unprecedented decisions as they switched to the virtual classroom. This study explores teachers’ experiences in transitioning from traditional teaching to virtual teaching during and after the COVID-19 college closure. A sample of seven Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educators was conveniently selected from colleges in an urban area in South Africa using a case study research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. In this regard, all ethical considerations were adhered to during this study. Three of the educators demonstrated a positive cognitive, affective and behavioural attitude towards transitioning to virtual learning. Six of the educators used WhatsApp and online platforms integrated into their college’s website to communicate during virtual teaching. However, challenges such as lack of support on the integration of technology into their practice, access to connectivity, provision of little or no training on pedagogical practices, unconducive home environment, students’ attitudes in the online space, lack of infrastructure and poor policy guidelines and framework for implementing virtual learning pose a threat to educators’ desires to change and support a transition to virtual learning permanently. Therefore, it is recommended that TVET education providers and managers provide adequate support and training for educators to foster pedagogical practices aimed at enhancing students’ virtual learning.
Highlights
To understand the experiences of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college educators when transitioning from a traditional classroom to a virtual classroom during the COVID-19 lockdown, the findings from this study are presented in terms of three themes that emerged from the data and are informed by the theoretical framework
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an accelerated change process in the transitioning from the traditional teaching and learning approach to an online approach in most TVET colleges across South Africa
The attitude formation and attitude change of TVET educators become significant in the successful transitioning and implementation of the virtual learning process at TVET colleges
Summary
Change is a constant and important factor in life, affecting families, businesses, colleges and nations. More important is how the change is managed. Parlakkiliç (2017: 640) describes change management in a virtual learning context as the “combination of processes, activities, and approaches that manage the people of the organisation through the transition from the old way of teaching to new e-learning”. Parlakkiliç (2017) further indicates that it is very difficult to change the behaviours, culture and routine of an educational institution’s users, such as the students, educators and school leaders. As a result, achieving change appears to be more difficult when the change process is abrupt and forceful, especially when most colleges are compelled to continue with teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
