Teaching Presence vs. Student Perceived Preparedness for Testing in Higher Education Online English Courses During a Global Pandemic? Challenges, Tensions, and Opportunities

Abstract

In the context of a global pandemic that started in 2020, the Chilean higher education institution Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) faced the challenge of giving continuity to its already established blended program for English courses while also starting the implementation of a high-stakes certification assessment for its students using the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) Bridge. This study sought to evaluate how much of a mediating factor online teaching presence could be in the context of test preparation within a language course in aspects related to autonomous learning and perceived learning outcomes. A mixed-methods approach was used. It included a survey applied to 1,642 eligible students of the English program. These quantitative data were complemented with students’ comments and teacher interviews. After triangulating quantitative and qualitative data, teaching presence was clearly perceived to be a relevant aspect of the online experience in the studied courses. However, both students’ and teachers’ voices evidenced pervasive challenges and tensions that hinder the potentially transformative benefits that online learning is expected to bring about.

Designing the 'new normal': Key insights from the pandemic for transforming online learning going forward

“…Disengaged, absentee students (Usher et al, 2021), serious levels of attrition (World Bank, 2020), frustrated and unprepared teachers (Charbonneau-Gowdy et al, 2021;Moralista & Oducado, 2020), macro and meso level administrators scrambling and often at a loss to find answers (Morales et al, 2022) compromised assessments and results (Guangul et al, 2020), technical infrastructural issues (Chisadza et al, 2021) are just some of the most notable problems reported. A World Bank report (see Figure 2), issued in the early stages of the pandemic, revealed the far-reaching costs of the unpreparedness of systems to move online-especially the costs to individual societies as a whole, in terms of human capital and equality.…”

“…While the emphasis at the institution has been on research for over a decade and its institutional policies aim clearly at idealistic goals for quality education, it can be said that despite these efforts, in terms of teaching, the institution has struggled to adopt 21 st century goals and current learning practices across the board in its classrooms and to incorporate technology as an integral part of its programming (Morales et al, 2022).…”

Challenges of Oral Presentations in Online English Classrooms: Do Lecturers and Students Experience the Same?

“…However, it is said that although practising is essential for creating effective presentations because the presenters (students) are able to improve their presentations, the lecturers and students are disturbed with the number of assessment practices apart from the obligations to other work commitments and official responsibilities (Hanifa & Yusra, 2018). Another study by Mohd Radzuan and Kaur (2011) and Morales et al (2022) supported the argument that the lack of preparedness for the assessments will make the students fail to complete their project successfully.…”