Comprensión de las representaciones sociales en un aula de idiomas a distancia de EFL

Abstract

This research sought to understand how high school students from a private institution located in the south of Bogota represented themselves, others and their community during the adjustments caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It also aimed at examining how their representations were connected to their EFL learning process, especially, while interacting in remote language classes mediated by different digital tools. The study was framed in a netnographic, qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive standpoint. Different modes of communication that were available in video conferencing tools were analyzed, along with observations from regular classes to examine interactions and ways by which students represented themselves and their environment. Findings revealed that students modified and adjusted available icons and images to fit their interests, moods, and features of authenticity as individuals. Additionally, they disclosed aspects of their daily life and situations that they were dealing with during remote modality of schooling. On the one hand, the results are aligned with George's theory (2009, 2007) about self-representation to understand the way students view themselves and how they connect with others and with the world during disruptive times. The results show the importance of examining social representations as alternative to address socio-emotional and socio-affective issues in remote learning environments. As Bozkurt and Tu (2016) stated, social representations increase learning experiences, emotional presences, and active engagement, especially in digital learning environments.