The development of an Ecology of Resources for online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in a Japanese university during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

English language teaching in Japanese universities can be described as having a very classroom-centered approach with relatively little online presence. Therefore, the transition to emergency remote teaching in April 2020 in response to COVID-19 was particularly challenging. This paper describes how the teaching staff in one English as a Foreign Language (EFL) department at a national university in Japan came together to support one another with various online guides and the creation of peer support groups. This activity is analysed in terms of the development of an Ecology of Resources (EoR) (Luckin, 2008) and an online Community of Practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991). The four collaborative documents and the peer support group that make up the EoR are described together with examples of this teacher development process. By partaking in the creation of the EoR teaching staff learned together how to teach online in an emergency context and this collaboration can be the basis for future online teaching in an institution where it had not happened before.