E-Learning Challenges and Implementations Strategies for Teaching English Language Courses in Distance Learning Centres in the COVID-19 Era

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is viral pneumonia with symptoms such as dry cough, fever, sore throat, dyspnea, body pain, and diarrhea. Considering the spread of this dreadful infectious disease, the federal government instituted COVID-19 suppression protocols such as physical/social distancing in classrooms and also encouraged the use of e-learning facilities to reduce the spread of the virus in all tertiary institutions. To examine the prospects of e-learning in the COVID-19 era, this paper examines the e-learning challenges and implementation strategies for teaching English Language courses in distance learning centres in the COVID-19 era. The objectives of this paper are therefore to: identify the challenges of e-learning implementation and discuss possible strategies needed for proper e-learning implementation for English language courses in distance learning centres in the COVID-19 era. Some basic concepts such as e-learning and COVID-19 were conceptually clarified. Based on the review, it was uncovered that inadequate human capacity, inadequate funding, lack of e-learning infrastructure, ICT and bandwidth constraints, poor electricity supply, and institutional governance are the constraints of e-learning adoption and integration for the teaching English language courses in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) centres in the COVID-19 era. Some ready strategies for resolving these challenges include integration of open sources into e-learning, the establishment of data collection repositories, encouragement of resource sharing among staff, development of partnerships and networks, integration of ICT with the whole curriculum, and evaluation of e-learning practices. To resolve these challenges it is suggested that: Open Distance Learning (ODL) centres need to be properly funded by the government to enhance the use of Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) and e-learning systems for teaching English Language courses in distance learning centres.