ABSTRACT
Designed with qualitative-transcendental phenomenology, this study aimed at understanding the lived experience of Public High School English Teachers in Technology Utilization in the New Normal. The researcher utilized the framework of Moustakas (1994) and Creswell (2017) which consisted of bracketing, horizonalization, theme clustering, textural description, structural description, and essence. Eleven (11) themes emerged from the verbatim transcriptions. A comprehensive investigation of teachers' lived experiences focused on two specific issues: their experiences with technology utilization and how they responded to challenges and demands to improve their performance as English teachers. Among the lived experiences revealed were the absolute necessity of technology in a virtual environment, the lack of system support and technology access that hampered the teaching-learning process, the importance of technological knowledge as a fundamental factor in learning delivery, the view of technology as an empowering experience for both students and teachers and the utilization of technology as a galvanizing instrument for academic performance enhancement. The participating teachers face the challenges and demands of technology utilization by emphasizing adaptability as a precursor to effective technology utilization; highlighting technology as a catalyst for innovation and high-impact performance; the need to exercise DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Approach and collaboration; transforming roadblocks into opportunities; revitalizing student participation and engagement; and, most importantly, technology utilization has become a gateway to strengthen teaching competence. The findings indicate that in the changing landscape of education, particularly in the context of the new normal, technology utilization plays a crucial role in the instructional process, and positive learning outcomes for students. To effectively utilize technology, teachers must accentuate the significance of adaptability and adjustments as prerequisites in the educative process. It also necessitates the provision of technical assistance from school administrators and supervisors to increase teacher productivity and student engagement.
Keywords: technology utilization, lived experience, new normal education, English teachers
INTRODUCTION
Technology integration is the use of technology equipment in the classroom that may or may not impact students' learning ability. It includes not only training and learning how to use technology, but also integrating it into classroom lessons. Administrators learned that teachers need effective help to integrate technology into their classrooms. Riel & Polin (2018) postulated that the internet is seen by learning technology researchers not just as a delivery medium but also as a potential means to enhance the quality of learning experiences and outcomes. One widely held belief is that acquiring a complex body of knowledge efficiently necessitates a community of learners and that online technology may be used to grow and assist such communities, hence promoting "participatory" educational approaches (Barab, Squire, & Dueber, 2020). According to a US survey, while 90% of K-12 teachers believed that technology is vital for student success, 60% felt unprepared and lacked sufficient training on how to use and incorporate technology in their teaching (Roland, 2015) as cited by Aldred (2020). In another study, Bolkan (2017) affirms that nearly 78% of teachers agreed that they haven’t received training to effectively use technology. Hence, teachers and even school principals need to be trained on how to effectively use technology in the classroom. Meanwhile, to keep up with the growing popularity of e-commerce, Pham (2019) reported that the Vietnamese government and the Ministry of Education and Training invested in IT and Internet infrastructures. In a developing country like Vietnam, these factors are critical. Ensuring student satisfaction and learning outcomes is important.
In the Philippines, educational leaders recognized the need for alternative instructional approaches through technology, and the concerns about the support that is provided to educators, in the context of the new normal education and beyond the Post-COVID period. Similarly, a lack of technology training among teachers and pupils prolongs the digital divide. As children get a greater understanding of technology, educators are left behind (Friedman & Alley, 2010; Gibson, 2001; Groff, 2013) as cited by Aldred (2020). In her article “Using Technology in the Classroom”, Boles (2018) advises instructors to make the most of the technology they have and use it with students. This is intensified by the idea of Barshay (2019) on introducing technology to young children to prepare them for the future. Many teachers have introduced flipped learning in the classroom. A flipped classroom combines in-class activities with a home-based internet component. According to Westermann (2018), this approach is comparable to Levin and Heibsch's blended learning theories. The online component of a flipped classroom often consists of a video lesson sent home with students. The students would finish their homework at home and bring it to class the next day.
Technology plays a critical role in the instructional process, student performance, and positive learning outcomes in the new normal education. Many educators and experts focused on blended learning in the secondary classroom. Barshay (2019) underscored the importance of introducing students to blended learning and technology to prepare them for the technological advances in our society. According to Rahmawati et al. (2020), the teacher's ability to guide the learning process through technology integration, students' communication, learning framework, self-efficacy, need, and interests, prior experience with technology, and advancement of technology, as well as access to various ICT Tools, are all important factors for PBL success. Sana et al. (2016) emphasized that OBE, the Philippine equivalent of Project-Based Learning (PBL), prepares students to meet the highest standards of a profession. These standards are incorporated into program outcomes, competencies, and instructional goals. These same components guide the selection of topics, teaching methods, and assessment criteria. The use of popular technology such as learning management systems and other online technology, or applications can help students learn more effectively. Therefore, teachers should use appropriate teaching strategies and techniques to help students achieve specific goals and level exit outcomes.
Several gaps were identified after a thorough review of the existing literature and studies. There haven't been nearly enough studies that thoroughly investigated the lived experiences of English teachers in technology utilization in the new normal education. The majority of the literature and studies on technology usage were from other countries. Similarly, there was no phenomenological research conducted on the topic considering the locale of the researcher, which was in Cabuyao City, Laguna, Philippines. Taking into account the foregoing, the researcher conducts this study to describe and understand the lived experiences of selected senior high school public teachers in technology utilization in the new normal education, intending to present the essence of the phenomenon that could shed light on this approach from a deeper qualitative analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine the lived experiences of selected public senior high school teachers in technology utilization in the new normal education in the Schools Division of Cabuyao City, Laguna. Specifically, this study would answer the following questions: (1) What are the participants’ lived experiences in technology utilization in the new normal education? (2) How do the participants face the challenges and demands of technology utilization in the new normal education? (3) From the findings of the study, what intervention program for English Teachers may be proposed?
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