The Influences of Online Teaching on Iranian EAP Teachers’ Professional Identity (Re)Construction

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Department of Foreign Languages, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Foreign Languages, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran .

3 Department of Foreign Languages, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In recent years, online education has become a significant part of teachers’ professional career. Moreover, it has been argued that contexts of teaching are significantly influential in EAP teachers’ practices and identities. Despite these points, little research has examined EAP teachers’ identity construction in online contexts. The present study addressed this gap by exploring the impacts of online education on 20 Iranian EAP teachers’ identity construction. The participants were interviewed and thematic analysis was run to analyze the data. The findings revealed that online education influenced the teachers’ personal, pedagogical, and social identities. More specifically, it was found that the teachers could reconstruct their identities in light of the challenges and affordances of online teaching and adopt new identities that featured concerns with both their EAP and educator responsibilities. These findings are then discussed and implications for teacher educators are offered so that they could help EAP teachers construct their identities in online settings effectively.

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Appendix

Interview Questions

  1. How has your experience with online teaching impacted your professional identity as an EAP teacher?
  2. Have you experienced any challenges in maintaining a sense of professional identity while teaching online? If so, can you describe these challenges?
  3. How do you think that online teaching affects the way that you interact with your students and colleagues, and what impact does this have on your professional identity?
  4. Have you noticed any changes in the way that you approach lesson planning or curriculum development as a result of teaching online?
  5. Do you feel that your professional identity as an EAP teacher is influenced by the technology and tools that you use to teach online? If so, how?
  6. How do you think that your professional identity is affected by the increased flexibility and autonomy that comes with teaching online?
  7. Do you believe that online teaching has led to any changes in your teaching style or pedagogical approach, and if so, how has this impacted your professional identity?
  8. Have you noticed any differences in the way that students perceive you as a teacher when you are teaching online versus in-person? If so, can you describe these differences and their impact on your professional identity?
  9. How do you balance the need for student engagement and interaction with the limitations of online teaching platforms?
  10. How do you build rapport and establish trust with students when teaching online?
  11. In what ways do you believe that online teaching has impacted your ability to assess student learning and provide feedback?
  12. Have you noticed any differences in the types of assignments or assessments that are most effective when teaching online versus in-person?
  13. How do you maintain a sense of community and collaboration among students when teaching online?
  14. How do you balance the need for structure and organization with the flexibility that comes with online teaching?
  15. In what ways do you believe that online teaching has impacted your professional development and continuing education as an EAP teacher?
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