Given that little is known about English teachers’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK), this study examined teachers’ TPACK of using interactive whiteboards (IWBs) by contextualizing the research in the Chinese EFL context. Surveys and multi-case interviews were conducted among secondary school EFL teachers. The results revealed that Chinese EFL teachers generally perceived themselves to be competent in TPACK, with content knowledge achieving the highest value (5.545) and technological knowledge having the lowest value (5.147). In addition, teachers with higher professional titles perceived themselves as having lower TPACK. Barriers to using IWBs in English teaching include a lack of using efficacy regarding IWBs, traditional teaching beliefs, insufficient technical support and training, defects in IWBs for English teaching and time constraints. This study enriched technology adoption literature and informed policymakers and educational institutions of the necessity to provide specialized training to improve teachers’ TPACK and take measures to reduce teachers’ non-teaching-related tasks to ensure sustainable technology adoption in English teaching.

While the technology integration has been widely acknowledged, insufficient effort has been made to understand English teachers’ perceptions of emergency remote teaching (ERT). Given English is the primary foreign language in China and English teachers’ perceptions and adoptions of ERT impact the attainment of teaching and learning goals, this study inquired into experienced university English teachers’ emotional attitudes, perceptions of the reconstructed professional identity, and their strategies to cope with difficulties when conducting ERT in the Chinese English teaching context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted both online and face-to-face with five experienced universities English teachers in China. The findings indicated a trajectory of teachers’ attitudes toward ERT, namely, their attitudes were switched from doubt and rejection to fondness and attachment. Experienced English teachers adopted various strategies to cope with the difficulties and challenges they have encountered, including seeking support from their peers, students, and family, as well as self-regulated learning to sustain continuing professional development. During ERT, they have reconstructed their teacher identities. The study enriched peoples’ understandings of English teachers’ perceptions of the ERT by contextualizing the study in the Chinese educational context. Results can provide empirical evidence for policymakers and teacher trainers to make informed decisions regarding technical support and teachers’ continuing professional development.

Zusammenfassung Der Sinologe und Theologe Richard Wilhelm leistete durch seine Übersetzungen klassischer chinesischer philosophischer Werke und durch seine bahnbrechende Erforschung der chinesischen Kultur einen großen Beitrag zur Überlieferung der klassischen chinesischen Philosophie im Westen ebenso wie zum Kulturaustausch zwischen China und Deutschland. In einem Dokumentarfilm unter der Regie seiner Enkelin Bettina Wilhelm führt sie einen Dialog mit ihrem Großvater, indem sie seine Spuren in China und Deutschland nachzeichnet. Ein Gespräch zwischen Bettina Wilhelm und Forschern, Lehrern und Schülern über diesen Film offenbart die tief reichende Bedeutung des Buches I Ging, nämlich „Wandlungen“, dessen Philosophie Richard Wilhelm in den Bann zog. Aufgeschlossenheit gegenüber Wandel (die Begegnung mit einer anderen Kultur bedeutet ebenfalls Wandel) wird als ein geeigneter Weg angesehen, um mit Veränderungen umzugehen und im Strom des Lebens mit zu schwimmen.