Coping with The New Normal: Difficulties Met and Strategies Used by Faculty and Students in Teaching and Learning English During the Pandemic

Abstract

This study sought to discover the difficulties experienced by students and teachers of CSU Piat and the strategies they used in order to address these difficulties in their online classes during the pandemic. It utilized the questionnaire and the interview to gather the data in the study. It was found out that both teachers and students met difficulties in technical aspects and in their actual learning-teaching aspects. Technical difficulties mostly include slow internet connection, physical and ambient noise and lack of knowledge in using and manipulating new gadgets and digital applications. Difficulties in teaching- learning aspects were classified in the different macro-skills. As an output, this study came out with a compilation of best practices employed by both teachers and students when meeting the difficulties in an online class and a list of actions or interventions which can be done to improve the quality of online classes. As the university may consider continuing with the blended learning (combination of face to face and online learning) even after the pandemic, this research output can serve as a reference in making academic decisions.