Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number1.  March 2022                                     Pp. 352-365
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no1.23

Full Paper PDF 

 

Questioning Intercultural Communication Skills Absence in Five Algerian Universities
Digital Challenge

 Aziza KORAN
DSPM research Laboratory,  Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Letters and Foreign languages, Department of Foreign
Languages, Djilali Bounaama University, Khemis-Miliana.
Algeria
Corresponding Author:  a.koran@univ-dbkm.dz

Hanane SARNOU
DSPM research Laboratory, Department of English,  Faculty of Foreign Languages, Abdelhamid
Ibn Badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria

 

Received: 12/30/2021                    Accepted: 2/21/2022                      Published:3/24/2022

 

Abstract:
COVID-19 pandemic has had a hard impact on all educational sectors where access to schools, educational institutions, and university campuses is forcibly halted. In this context, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research urged teachers to move from face-to-face to online learning to mitigate the spread of the virus, keep up the regular schedule and save the academic year. This paper highlights the issues, perspectives, and pedagogical practices of the instructors’ overnight change, switching pre-existing face-to-face learning to the online environment. It also refers to the challenge of those learners lacking intercultural communication skills needed to participate virtually. The researchers used the documentary research method to develop their leading research question and analyse existing research documents and other e-sources of information such as university and government reports, newspapers, PDF books, papers, and YouTube channels to collect relevant data for this study. As a result, we could illustrate the Algerian universities’ response and analyse government and university sources such as newspaper articles and ministry decrees. Therefore, we believe that the emergency to digitalize teaching in our higher institutions is a significant opportunity to keep engaged in the online environment now and after the pandemic and take advantage of the universities’ best pedagogical practices. Thus, prepare for the online shift to better address the digital divide by promoting equal opportunities for all students to access the Internet, possess and effectively use Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) to fully participate in the modern educational system.
Keywords: Algerian universities, Covid-19 pandemic, intercultural communication, online learning, pedagogical practices

Cite as: KORAN, A., & SARNOU, H.  (2022). Questioning Intercultural Communication Skills Absence in Five Algerian Universities Digital Challenge. Arab World English Journal, 13 (1) 352-365.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no1.23

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Received: 12/30/2021
Accepted: 2/21/2022 
Published: 3/24/2022
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6670-1633
https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no1.23 

Aziza KORAN is a PhD candidate and Assistant at the department of Foreign Languages, Djilali Bounaama Khemis-Miliana University. Her research interests include teaching methodology, educational technology and ICTs, culture and communication, intercultural communication, and soft skills communication. ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6670-1633

Hanane SARNOU is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at the department of English, Mostaganem University. Her research areas include applied linguistics and ICTs, sociolinguistics, culture and language, teaching methodology, language and identity, intercultural communication, and Educational technology. ORCiD ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0433 -2785