Challenges Faced by Libyan English Instructors in Using E-Communication Tools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1405.09Keywords:
cross-sectional survey, EFL instructors, e-communication tools, technology acceptanceAbstract
The popularity of online teaching has increased significantly due to the outbreak of Covid-19 which prompted a sudden shift of educational activities to the online environment. In Libya, the government imposed online teaching and television learning programs as “emergency online education”. However, while online education offers numerous benefits as a flexible mode of knowledge delivery, both instructors and students tend to face various obstacles in the teaching and learning process. This study aimed to ascertain the challenges of using e-communication tools and their correlation with teaching experience among EFL instructors in Libyan universities. A total of 100 EFL instructors were examined using a cross-sectional survey method. The data were gathered through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using the mean, frequency, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation. The findings showed that major challenges faced by Libyan EFL instructors in using e-communication tools result from inadequate technical skills and lack of institutional support, followed by lack of student engagement and poor internet connection. The study also revealed a weak correlation between challenges of using e-communication tools and teaching experience among the instructors. This study was envisaged to provide information that can be useful to the Libyan government and higher learning institutions in the process of e-teaching implementation in the EFL context.
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