Experiences of the virtual English teaching-learning process during the pandemic at the Benigno Malo School

Resumen

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, the Ecuadorian education system suffered a significant impact, leading to changes in the curriculum and a shift towards virtual learning. The Ministry of Education had been working on the curriculum for 2016, but with the appearance of the virus, the Ministry of Education developed a prioritized curriculum to represent education in emergency situations. In this research, English has been taught and learned in virtual classes during the pandemic, focusing on the experiences of 15 third-year students from 15 to 17 years old and five teachers from the "Benigno Malo" school in 2020-2021. A qualitative method was used to analyze textual data and two quantitative instruments to collect and interpret numerical trends. The questionnaires were designed to explore both positive and negative experiences with online English classes during the pandemic. The findings highlight the challenges teachers and students faced in adapting to virtual learning and the impact of this on the English language learning process. Despite initial difficulties, the participants were able to develop new technological skills and transform educational problems into positive learning and teaching experiences. This study provides information on the effectiveness of virtual English classes during emergency situations and highlights the importance of technology skills for future education.