A Study of “Shared Teaching” and “Video Conferencing in Classrooms” as Techniques for Improving English Literature Learning Experience

Abstract

Globalisation and the emergence of internet in all fields of human affairs have brought unprecedented changes in higher academics. Physical and political boundaries are now hardly any barrier in restricting access to knowledge or information. Learning is a social process, and it typically tries to enhance an individual’s knowledge and understanding through solo activities, as well as group and peer interaction. Thus, one of the key learning skills is that of communication. Through collaboration, learning becomes more effective. And for such collaborative learning, effective communication tools and channels are necessary pre-requisites. And in today’s world, the exponential importance of English as the most effective means of communication between people of different cultures and countries, cannot be denied. Internationalism in higher education has become the latest concern for universities across the world. And for the teaching and learning of English (both the language skill and its literature), this internationalism can only be an added advantage. Tools of ICT are often considered relevant only for facilitating the teaching and learning of science subjects. Technology is an important aspect of modern life. Science and technology contribute to human well-being in perceptible ways and thus our society likes investing in science and technology because they provide us with provisions for life. Literature provides us with visions, ideas and understanding that we can apply to our lives. However, literature does not bring about any quantitative change. Its impact is intangible and incalculable in terms of quantity. Humanities or literary discourse brings out qualitative changes that remain countless. A good poem or novel may not be able to provide material comforts, but they can inspire, motivate, heal and change the readers. Revolutions have been brought about because of the power of literature. Thus, the importance of studying literature will always be relevant for human beings. What needs to be kept in mind today, however, is that science and technology and humanities are complementary and scientific innovations like video conferencing and shared teaching, when used in Literature classrooms, only serve to increase the understanding of the prescribed texts for the students. This paper proposes to study two such innovative techniques of teaching English literature in Palestinian HEIs—shared teaching (where two teachers, one local and one preferably English share classes within the classroom) and video conference classes (where students can listen to teachers in distant locations, even overseas; and have exposure to other cultures and modes of teaching). The aim of this study is to see how these innovations improve the learning experience of Palestinian students opting to study English Literature in their B.A. courses. The analytical method will mostly be applied for completing this study.