Continuing education in times of pandemic, a challenge for English teachers at private universities in México

EDUCACIÓN CONTINUA EN TIEMPOS DE PANDEMIA, UN RETO PARA MAESTROS DE INGLÉS

Abstract

With the arrival of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid 19) all spheres of human life have been modified. Education has also suffered this sudden and aggressive change. Without the possibility of physical contact, learning based on social interaction has become more complex, such is the case of English teachers who work in private schools in Mexico. Much of their training consisted of face-to-face courses in which there was a socialization relationship between facilitator-learner and learner-learner. According to the socio-constructivist scope, social interaction is vital to generate an effective learning process. It is in this context that the question arises, in what way does the private university English teacher continue his/her training in the context of a pandemic? The participants were 5 English teachers who are working online, the information was obtained through an in-depth interview, this interview was conducted online. The information processing was carried out using Atlas ti 8 qualitative analysis Software. The main findings are related to the problems of virtuality, the redefinition of socialization, technology as a means of learning and autonomy as an inherent value of lifelong education. It is concluded that continuing education is perceived as a mechanism for adaptation to changing, adverse and unprecedented circumstances.