Teachers’ Perceptions of Emergency Remote Teaching During COVID-19 at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Abstract

The uncertain situation emerging from COVID-19 led to an unprecedented suspension of face-to-face classes and the adoption of emergency remote teaching (ERT) in higher education institutions (HEIs). However, ERT required specific skills on the part of the teachers. As higher education systems gradually revert to normalcy, it is vital to reflect on ERT practices. Hence, this study investigates, in retrospect, the experiences of the General Foundation Programme (GFP) teachers at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Oman in conducting and adapting to ERT. The exploratory study uses an online questionnaire and the analysis is based on 102 teacher responses. The results of the quantitative data were analyzed and complemented with an extensive literature review. The findings can be grouped into six themes: teachers’ awareness of ERT and online teaching, readiness to deliver ERT, course management, students’ readiness, emotions in ERT, and effectiveness and future potential of remote teaching. The study suggests ways for HEIs to adapt to emergency teaching and learning and prepare for the effective implementation of online teaching. The paper provides insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with the emerging modalities of online teaching and informs decision and policy makers to develop a framework for their implementation. These findings have important implications for crisis management and the effective implementation of online teaching and learning in tertiary education. This study fills a gap in online teaching and learning research of the understudied context of a GFP in the Arab Gulf context.