NAVIGATING TEACHING AND LEARNING OF FRENCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC: PERCEPTIONS, PERSPECTIVES, CHALLENGES, AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The onset of the Covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent global lockdowns have affected all
sectors of human activities and forced a change in service production and delivery worldwide.
In institutions like the University of Botswana (UB) it has accelerated change towards the use
of digital technology in teaching and learning. This adaptation has not been without
challenges as all stakeholders have had to adapt to what has been deemed as the new normal.
But even though there are a lot of challenges and unknowns to be navigated, the perspectives
are also numerous. This paper uses data collected through a questionnaire to explore the
experiences of lecturers and learners of French in the French Department of the University of
Botswana, paying particular attention to perceptions towards online learning, its challenges,
and its perceived perspectives. The results generally show that both learners and lecturers of
French at UB have adapted to and appreciate the shift from traditional face-to-face teaching
and learning to remote and/or blended teaching and learning.