‘Every cloud has a silver lining’

Libyan EFL Teachers’ Professional Development Practices and Lessons Learned from the Pandemic.

Abstract

This study investigated the professional development activities and practices used by fourteen EFL Libyan teachers during the coronavirus pandemic to enhance their teaching skills as they transitioned to online teaching. The study also investigated the factors that influenced teachers’ online teaching and how they changed their teaching methods after the pandemic. In this study, semi structured interviews with fourteen teachers were used to collect data. The findings of the study showed that most teachers enhanced their teaching and technical skills by participating in online webinars, courses and conferences. Teachers' main challenges were a lack of technical skills, a poor internet connection, time management and students’ low motivation. Most of the teachers mentioned that this experience inspired them to utilize new techniques, take on new roles, engage their students in autonomous tasks and adopt a lifelong learner mindset. This implies that the opportunities for professional development opportunities that empower teachers are required.