Abstract
Over the last decade, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) online learning courses have become increasingly popular since teachers and practitioners have realised the benefits of synchronous, video-conferencing (VC)-based, learning activities for EFL learners. Not all teachers (especially pre-service teachers) are, however, sufficiently well-versed in implementing VC-based, EFL teaching to use its benefits effectively.
A qualitative research study aiming to investigate the opportunities and challenges experienced by six pre-service EFL teachers in their VC-based praxis was thus devised. It included a five-week, practice-based, teacher training course for VC-based EFL teaching followed by a five-week, teaching practice.
The study's findings revealed several opportunities, such as VC-based EFL courses effectively facilitating productive skills (e.g., speaking and writing) by implementing collaborative learning strategies that support cognitive processes and promote social interaction. Furthermore, the nature of VC-based EFL teaching encouraged the pre-service teachers to utilise more active learning approaches to keep learners' interest and engagement in class; potentially leading to longer retention of vocabulary, enhanced comprehension, improved motivation, and critical thinking skills.
There were also several challenges. For example, not all pre-service teachers found VC tools engaging or easy to cope with due to limited internet speed, which may affect the quality of video and audio communication.
Additionally, instructional design should be tailored to learners' physiological and psychological needs, including fatigue, technology-related stress and anxieties. The findings from this study provide valuable insights for educators, policy-makers, and researchers and contribute to the ongoing discourse on the use of technology in foreign language education.