Instructors’ Coping Strategies for Effective Online Teaching at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT)

Abstract

Online teaching, now widely regarded as an appealing method of instruction in higher learning institutions, is constrained by various factors, including technological, pedagogical, and financial challenges that hinder instructors' efficiency in teaching. This study explored the coping strategies employed by instructors to facilitate effective online teaching at the Open University of Tanzania. Employing a qualitative approach and a phenomenological design, the study involved ten (10) participants, comprising two instructors selected from each of the five faculties at OUT. These faculties include the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Business Management, the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Science, Technology, and Environmental Studies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document reviews, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that instructors adopted various coping strategies to enhance the effectiveness of online teaching. These strategies included teaching in university premises, using alternative tools other than Zoom and Moodle, delivery pre-recording online lectures, distributing digital and printed copies of learning resources and using personal devices and internet bundles to support course delivery. The study recommends that instructors be trained in diverse coping strategies for effective online teaching. Additionally, they should be provided with essential tools such as personal laptops and provided with institutional bandwidth support. Furthermore, the university should establish mechanisms to motivate instructors engaged in online teaching.