Understanding Digital Identity during the Pandemic: An Investigation of Two Chinese Spanish Teachers

Shikun Li, Junjie Gavin Wu, Jing Bian, Zhishuo Ding and Yuliang Sun ()
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Shikun Li: School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210098, China
Junjie Gavin Wu: School of Foreign Languages, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
Jing Bian: School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210098, China
Zhishuo Ding: School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210098, China
Yuliang Sun: School of Foreign Languages, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: During combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, the most widespread change in Spanish as a foreign language instruction is imperative online teaching. It demands that language teachers move all teaching activities to virtual platforms, facilitating the construction of their digital identities. However, there is scarce attention on Spanish teachers’ professional development, given the necessity of understanding the evolvement of their identities across virtual learning platforms. Through the lens of a case study, this research explores the digital identities of Spanish as a foreign language teachers during the school lockdown in 2022. The data includes semi-structured interviews, virtual classroom discourse, lesson plans, and reflective writing. The results show that Spanish teachers formed multiple digital identities, including curriculum innovators, vulnerable actors, involuntary team workers, overseas returnees, and academic researchers. Among them, the first three are core identities, while overseas returnees and academic researchers are peripheral identities. Regardless, they were formed and negotiated under the influence of teachers’ past experiences, the exercise of agency, emotional vulnerability, and social context. In addition, a contradictory belief in teaching was also identified during the formation of Chinese Spanish teachers’ digital identities.

Keywords: digital identity; case study; Spanish language teacher (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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