Factors Affecting Online Teaching Anxiety among Tertiary EFL Teachers in Taiwan: A Survey Study of Synchronous English Instruction

Authors

  • Hsiao-Tung Hsu

    Department of Applied English, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung City 413310, Taiwan
  • Chin-Ling Lee

    Department of International Business, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 404336, Taiwan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i1.7852
Received: 22 November 2024 | Revised: 15 December 2024 | Accepted: 17 December 2024 | Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

Following the abrupt global outbreak of COVID-19, many countries have embraced online teaching as the primary means of ensuring uninterrupted education,, requiring nearly all teachers to rapidly adapt to this unfamiliar digital landscape. This study investigated the factors that may cause anxiety among tertiary English teachers in Taiwan when they teach online in three aspects: (1) teachers’ perspectives on online teaching, (2) issues that influence English teachers’ anxiety, and (3) the relationship between online English teaching and teaching anxiety. A survey was conducted, and the data obtained were analyzed using SPSS v.22. It was found that teachers’ technical ability was the most concerning factor that aroused anxiety. Male teachers exhibited markedly greater confidence in their technical skills than their female counterparts. Additionally, external influences, such as technical malfunctions or interactions with students, were considered crucial factors that generate teaching anxiety. The results also showed that older teachers were more anxious than younger ones. Moreover, when teachers are anxious about their performance in online teaching and the possible technical problems that may arise, they tend to feel anxious about class management. The findings of this study could be beneficial for synchronous English online teaching by providing a better understanding of the factors contributing to teaching anxiety. It is hoped that these insights will help EFL teachers identify the causes of their anxiety, enhance the quality of their online teaching, and reduce their extent of anxiety in response to unforeseen changes.

Keywords:

Synchronous Online Teaching Anxiety; Teaching Ability; Tertiary English Teachers

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How to Cite

Hsu, H.-T., & Lee, C.-L. (2025). Factors Affecting Online Teaching Anxiety among Tertiary EFL Teachers in Taiwan: A Survey Study of Synchronous English Instruction. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(1), 879–890. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i1.7852

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 1 (January 2025)

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Copyright © 2025 Hsiao-Tung Hsu, Chin-Ling Lee

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