Teachers’ Experiences of Implementing the English Language Curriculum in Virtual Learning Environments: A Phenomenological Study in Iranian Lower Secondary Schools

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Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran.

2 Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran

4 PhD student, Curriculum studies, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/jpiut.2025.68985.4180

Abstract

This study examined teachers’ experiences of implementing the English language curriculum in virtual learning environments in Iranian lower secondary schools. A qualitative approach was adopted in this study using a phenomenological research strategy. This study was carried out with English language teachers working in lower secondary schools in Zanjan Province. A total of twelve participants were recruited through purposive snowball sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and subsequently analyzed using thematic analysis. To ensure the study’s validity, peer debriefing and participant feedback were employed, while reliability was established through Cohen’s kappa coefficient. The findings revealed a comprehensive categorization of teachers' experiences, comprising 143 basic themes, seven organizing themes, and one overarching theme. These organizing themes encompassed teachers' mental, attitudinal, psychological, and technological preparation; the status of educational platforms; the status of educational media, materials, and learning resources; the status of learning activities; the status of teaching strategies; the status of evaluation strategies; and finally, the status of teachers' interactions. This study confirms that Iranian EFL teachers have made notable progress in virtual education despite various challenges. A contextually adapted blended approach has proven to be effective, and the findings may inform similar educational contexts when accounting for teachers’ background variables.

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 December 2025

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