English Learning Experiences Pre-, During, and Post- COVID-19 Pandemic: Narratives of College Students from the Bara District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51474/elepraxis.v2i2.673Keywords:
Learning across COVID-19, pandemic, education, post-pandemic, learning English in rural spacesAbstract
This study explores the narratives of college students in the Bara district of their English learning histories before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the narrative inquiry approach, this study examines students' accounts as they navigated the transition from face-to-face to online classrooms during a global crisis unprecedented in human history. The study documents the experiences of these students during this transition and examines the difficulties of learning English in various learning environments affected by the pandemic. We used in-depth interviews and reflective accounts from our research participants as data for this study, drawing on the connection between Social Constructivist theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and the digital divide (van Dijk, 2006). A critical data analysis yielded the prevailing themes of access to online materials, emotional resilience, teachers' support, motivation, and learning outcomes. The results highlight the discrepancy in students' learning experiences, the digital divide, and the resilience demonstrated by learners as they adopt online learning. The study contributes to the discourse on emergency education, focusing on transforming students' attitudes towards learning English and creating more flexible, inclusive, and caring learning spaces in post-pandemic higher education contexts.
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