Lived Experiences of Teacher Education Faculty on Emergency Remote Teaching

Abstract

Since COVID-19 became a public health crisis, higher learning institutions have been forced to shift the means to deliver content and create a wider arena wherein students can access educational resources and acquire knowledge through emergency remote teaching (ERT). However, some faculty members were unready for this compulsory transition, particularly in the context of teacher education. Hence, this study unraveled the ERT lived experiences of 25 teacher education faculty from a public university in Northeastern Philippines. Findings revealed that the faculty members viewed ERT as flexible, technology-driven, and challenging. Despite challenges such as a lack of technical skills and students' poor internet connectivity and passivity, they have used their agency meaningfully to implement the various instructional processes such as preparation, planning, access, delivery, monitoring, and assessment of student learning. This experience was made possible by enhancing their technological competence, being flexible in terms of time and activities, and demonstrating instructional adaptability. Most importantly, they were able to manifest a caring and nurturing disposition, which is integral in teacher training. Lastly, implications for teacher education policy and practice were presented.