The aim of this qualitative study was to explore, identify and describe teachers’ beliefs and perceptions regarding the abrupt adoption of online distance learning to deliver courses in the English language teaching programme at a Palestinian university that implemented emergency remote teaching (ERT) in response to the forced discontinuation of face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. A grounded theory research approach was framed within a conceptual lens based on three paradigms drawn from the literature on preparing teachers to integrate
technology into their practices: the TPACK Framework, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the Kiely Model of Pedagogical Innovation. Topics of research interest included teachers’ perceptions of the challenges, benefits, and drawbacks associated with e-learning as experienced during the implementation of ERT-style English language teaching methodologies in a Palestinian higher-education context. Additional objectives included (a) evaluation of the landscape of obstacles and possibilities relevant to the potential adoption of e-learning by the university English language teaching programme as a tool to support student learning and teacher professional development, and (b) remediation of the lack of empirical research findings
that are available to be leveraged in support of the design and implementation of online teaching and learning in developing country education systems, and in English language teaching
3 programmes in particular. The primary data collection instruments comprised a series of semistructured interviews conducted with five Palestinian teachers of English as a foreign language during their engagement in pandemic ERT. Qualitative thematic analysis of this teacher interview data produced answers to the five research questions that guided the study, and also revealed a number of additional findings. The research uncovered an overarching theme of teacher uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of ERT in supporting their ability to meet intended student learning objectives, and their students’ achievement of positive learning experiences and outcomes. The findings also showed that the initial transition to e-learning was particularly challenging, and the ongoing process of teaching online with inadequate preparation and institutional support entailed significantly increased investments of time and labour by the
teachers. The move to virtual classrooms also produced direct impacts on teacher roles, student motivation, assessment strategies, and general English language teaching practices. Moreover, community as well as institutional hard- and soft-infrastructures were inadequate to the task of reliably supporting effective online distance education. However, the teachers eventually adapted their practices and came to believe that delivering courses via online distance e-learning is potentially very useful in the Palestinian context if lessons learned from emergency remote
teaching are leveraged to support development of properly-designed online education systems and programmes.