Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
E-International Journal of Educational Researchers, cilt.13, sa.4, ss.99-112, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning process shifted from face-to-face learning to online learning as schools and universities were closed almost worldwide. After the pandemic restrictions, it seems that many educational institutions continue to offer online courses as an alternative to face-to-face classes, or they have begun to implement hybrid programs in which the students have both face-to-face and online courses. With the shift from face-to-face to online learning, the learning process has been affected negatively from different perspectives with varying degrees; however, the interaction between instructors and students has become more challenging to pursue at expected levels. Students tend to avoid interacting for many different reasons in the online learning process, or the instructors have some obstacles to a sound interaction with their students. By exploring the experiences and perceptions of the English language instructors, this descriptive study aimed to examine the perceptions of instructors regarding teacher-student interaction in online classes, the challenges faced by the practitioners, and their suggestions for course designers, policymakers and other related stakeholders. The researchers employed a qualitative research approach. The participants were 17 instructors working at the school of foreign languages at a state university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the qualitative data. The data was analysed by following the content analysis procedures. The findings reported insights into the interaction issues in online classes; the instructors had negative perceptions of the interaction in online classes due to the challenges they faced. In the light of the qualitative data, the present research offers valuable suggestions for decision-makers and practitioners, such as taking the participation of the learners into consideration in assessments and providing in-service training programs for EFL instructors.