Revisiting Technological Tools Used in EFL-Speaking Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Are the Implications for the Post-Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid shift from traditional teaching to online settings. This study explores the technological tools employed by university EFL-speaking teachers during this transition, investigating their continued relevance post-pandemic. With a focus on the experiences of seven university EFL-speaking teachers, this study probes the challenges they encountered, their attitudes toward the challenges, and the technological tools they favored to sustain effective instruction. The participants, chosen using purposive sampling and engaged in online interviews, provided rich insights that were thematically analyzed using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The findings revealed that the teachers' perceptions of Perceived Ease of Use (PEoU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), and the challenges they encountered were pivotal in shaping their attitudes towards the employed technological tools. Several challenges emerged, including students' limited participation, assessing and providing feedback, accessing resources, and the teachers' technology familiarity. Among these complexities, Google Meet and e-learning platforms became preferred tools. The teachers' rationale for these choices encompassed bridging the gaps created by the virtual environment, fostering meaningful tasks, and promoting communication efficiency. Their strategic alignment reflected the teachers' intent to address the challenges encountered during online teaching, and to continue these practices in the post-pandemic.