







































EDUCATIO : Journal Of Education 
Volume 8 , Number 1, May 2023 

 ISSN : 2579-8383 (Print) ISSN : 2579-8405 (Online)  

 

  

 

Lecturers’ Perceptions of the Switch from Teaching in the new 

normal to Normal in a selected university in South Africa 
 

K.O. Adu, N. Duku  

Faculty of Education University of Fort Hare South Africa 

kadu@ufh.ac.za   

nduku@ufh.ac.za   

 

Accepted: 

Feb 10th  2023 

Reviewed:  

April 5th 2023 

Published:  

May 30th  2023 

 

Abstract; The announcement of the lockdown because of the pandemic by the South African 
President in March 2020 came as a surprise and shock to many academics. Universities in the 
country have no choice but to switch to virtual classrooms, termed “the new normal” A few 
months ago, the president of South Africa announced the removal of all restrictions and back to 
normal conventional classroom face-to-face teaching. The paper investigates the perceptions of 
the lecturer to ascertain the strategies used to cope and share their experiences. 8 samples were 
purposively selected in one of the historically disadvantaged universities. A semi-structured 
interview was used to collect data. The findings revealed among others that virtually all the 
respondents have adopted one or two coping strategies with diverse experiences. The paper 
recommended that the lecturers should think outside the box and be 4IR compliance. They should 
be flexible to adapt to any situation and use blended approach pedagogy even in the normal stage. 
 

Keywords: The new normal, Normal, Lecturers’ perception, COVID-19 

 

 

Introduction 

The announcement of COVID-19 in late 2019 and the lockdown from the president of 

South Africa in March 2020 came as a surprise and shock to many lecturers.  The pandemic 

brought about a paradigm shift in teaching and learning at all South African institutions. South 

African schools were forced to switch to virtual classrooms. Online teaching through different 

modes like Microsoft Team, Google Meet, zoom, Blackboard etc. took the stage in all institutions 

of learning not only in South Africa but throughout the globe. The unprecedented pandemic left 

a big gap between analogue and digital lecturers. The analogue which is also called conservatives 

finds it difficult to adjust to the virtual classroom. Every institution embarks on a series of training, 

in some universities, the training was weekly across faculties in the universities, this situation was 

called the “New Normal” that all academics have to adapt to.  

The new normal also revealed many things, such as the weaknesses of some lecturers to 

cope, inability to use the laptops, internet problems, and lack of networks, to mention but a few. 

These challenges also affect the students, especially those living in rural areas where there is no 

electricity and network bandit becomes a problem and a big mirage. In South Africa, COVID-19 

exposed inequality in terms of infrastructure as many students studying at historically 

mailto:kadu@ufh.ac.za
mailto:nduku@ufh.ac.za


 
 

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disadvantaged universities find it difficult to cope. Even though the government of South Africa 

bought laptops for all students, these laptops were useless due to the students’ location  1. South 

Africa is still a developing country that is ravaged by high unemployment, poverty, and inequality, 

many schools are bedevilled with poor infrastructures and lack good learning and teaching 

facilities. South Africa has 26 universities with many located in rural areas like those in the Eastern 

Cape province of the country where the samples for this paper are drawn 2. Other challenges 

lecturers are facing are the issues of the application of 4IR, limited network and connectivity.  

The fundamental challenge the new normal brought is a high dropout rate of students due 

to the inability to get connectivity and most of the students lost interest in learning, some students 

complained about the stress of staying at home all alone, which cause a setback because they miss 

their friends. Most parents live in rural areas and are low and middle-level income recipients, they 

could not provide for their children adequately, especially with electronic devices like functional 

laptops like in advanced countries where students hardly have books and written materials, they 

have only tablets, iPad, smartphones, computers and laptops. Teaching and learning in South 

Africa have been bedevilled with inequality and inequality has caused a crisis in the quality of 

education in South Africa. Now that institutions are returning gradually to the normal conventional 

style of teaching and learning, it is imperative to find out the feelings and experiences of the 

lecturers in this regard 3.     

The new normal as a result of COVID-19 affects academic exercise a great deal. The 

distribution of learning materials is unequal, not all curricula can be moved online, besides, there 

is a need for curriculum review to meet the duration of the online teaching.  The assessments were 

compromised, and there are a lot of moratoriums put in place over tests, assignments and 

continuous assessments, in addition, academic performance dropped and many students could not 

access online lectures.  The country moved from one level of stage to another ranging from stages 

1-5 where stage 1 is the least that encourages maximum interactions and promotes a large audience, 

encouraging some students in faculties of science, health sciences and agriculture etc. to attend 

classes physically observing COVID-19 protocols 4.   

The new normal put the universities management on their toes by creating many COVID-

19 teams, providing many COVID-19 materials and positioning them in strategic places within the 

campus for the use of the students and the lecturers, so that the spread may be reduced. The paper 

will not mention the loss of lives of many academics during this period especially those who are 

above 60 years of age and those who have a comorbidity, that is underline ailments and diseases. 

This led to more workload for lecturers with the accompanying stress and pains of virtual 

classrooms. 

Moreover. COVID-19 took academics to the new normal and also affect academics’ mental 

health especially when their neighbours or loved ones died in the process, their mental health was 

due to pressures, strains and changes in lifestyles. The new normal brought anxiety and uncertainty 

in academia, learning from home with a lot of disturbances from family members, and staying 

 
1 E O Adu, “Virtual Classroom: Prospects and Challenges of COVID 19 Pandemic in South Africa,” 

JOURNAL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY 72, no. 1–3 (2020), http://dx.doi.org/10.31901/24566608.2020/72.1-3.3280. 
2 Yolanda Mpu and E O Adu, “Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM Education,” Management 

Studies 8, no. 4 (2020), http://dx.doi.org/10.17265/2328-2185/2020.04.005. 
3 Mpu and Adu, “Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM Education.” 
4 Mpu and Adu, “Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM Education.” 



 
 

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before any device for many hours 5.  The aftermath of this is that the same academics who serve 

as counsellors to students during the normal now need counselling themselves during the new 

normal, and their core teaching functions are now affected 6. The social aspect of university life 

was significantly affected, social interactions were limited, and stress, depression and social 

cohesion were dissuaded.  

During the new normal, the readiness of lecturers is crucial to flag, many lecturers are not 

ready, and they are not familiar with the use of the facilities for a virtual classroom. Remember, 

you can only give what you have. A lecturer needs to be adequately prepared and think outside the 

box. The relationship between lecturers and students can facilitate effective teaching and learning 

and promote the achievement of the desired goals. Therefore, the sudden move from conventional 

face-to-face teaching and learning to online is indeed a mirage that academics must adapt and run 

with.  

The importance of face-to-face teaching cannot be overemphasized, it promotes cordial 

relationships, enhances retention, and interaction among lecturers, students and peers are very 

valuable to the actualization of goals and learning outcomes. Teaching and learning are about a 

relationship. One of the fundamental reasons why face-to-face contact will always be preferred 

above virtual or the new normal is the ability to know whether your students learn or not and to 

see if there is a need for a tutorial as an intervention for their lack of understanding, secondly, 

some students who are doing science practical need physical contact to enhance their better 

understanding about the subject. Connectivity, Wi-Fi bandits’ inadequate facilities like devices and 

stress as a result of speaking to a machine daily show the importance of traditional and 

conventional classroom teaching 7. 

 After a period of 20 months, South Africa returned institutions of learning back to the 

normal conventional teaching and learning. Which we refer to in this paper as “normal” where 

physical contact is allowed, and face-to-face lecture returns. The question now is if the lecturers 

have adjusted to normal.  

 

 

Literature Review  

This paper employs social constructivist theory which explains the construction of 

knowledge by interacting with others, to assess the perception of lecturers on the switch from the 

new normal to normal due to the end of COVID-19 in South Africa. According to the social 

constructivist approach, engaging students in social activities including interactions between 

lecturers and students in the classroom leads to better teaching. Approaches based on social 

constructivism can include cooperative learning, lecturers supporting their students, problem-

solving evaluations, and a variety of other techniques that include learning from and/or with others 

 
5 Babawande Emmanuel Olawale et al., “COVID-19 Induced Psychosocial Challenges in South African Higher 

Education: Experiences of Staff and Students at Two Rural Universities,” Research in Social Sciences and Technology 6, no. 
3 (2021): 179–193, http://dx.doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2021.37. 

6 Olawale et al., “COVID-19 Induced Psychosocial Challenges in South African Higher Education: 
Experiences of Staff and Students at Two Rural Universities.” 

7 Kristina Henry Collins and Javetta Jones Roberson, “Developing STEM Identity and Talent in 
Underrepresented Students: Lessons Learned From Four Gifted Black Males in a Magnet School Program,” Gifted 
Child Today 43, no. 4 (2020): 218–230, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1076217520940767. 



 
 

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8. The socio-constructivist theory also states that because learning processes are socially and 

culturally constrained, knowledge, which is a construct of the individual, typically arises from social 

circumstances. Through social engagement and a blended learning strategy, the lecturer and 

students share their educational experiences while using online gadgets in the new normal. Based 

on language, culture, and knowledge, Vygotsky developed this hypothesis. the part that language 

and culture play in our cognitive development and how we see the world around us. Language and 

culture are said to offer frameworks for comprehension, experience, and communication 

throughout the transition to the new normal as well as in discussions between instructors and 

students about the world they live in. 

Language: Language is the most important tool for regulating and functioning as a reflecting 

point for human thought. Vygotsky thought that it is proof of internalized language that directs 

our thoughts and behaviour 9. In the new normal, even in the normal, the language of 

communication is very important so that information can be disseminated so that students can 

understand the concepts being taught. Instead of focusing on some facts, students learn to give 

phenomena their unique meaning and relevance. In essence, it is thought that human social 

interaction and good communication are what lead to the development of language. It is a 

significant tool for connecting with the world community. The language used during and after the 

epidemic, which is the subject of this essay, is crucial for effective teaching and learning. When 

lecturers are speaking to a computer or other device for online instruction, many students find that 

using their mother tongue as the language of instruction helps them understand the material. 

Communication language is crucial for virtual learning 10. It's noteworthy that language is thought 

to have two key roles in the process of knowledge acquisition. Children receive knowledge from 

adults in a variety of ways. 2. the use of language as a strong and effective tool for intellectual 

adaptation in humans. 

a) Culture:  

According to Vygotsky, culture is the main factor influencing intellectual development11. 

There is little doubt that changing the school's operating model and enhancing educational 

performance involves changing the school culture. The disadvantaged institutions in South 

Africa, especially where the samples were selected have a very strong culture that influences 

their operation during the new normal and after. Such institution has very strong dynamics 

that depict the type of reforms and transformation that take place. This selected university 

makes sure the students have access to laptops and data given to them (Adu et al., 2020). This 

example often explains the causes of academics' growing interest in the institution's culture 

and the necessity for improvements more generally. No attempt at change can be made 

without an institutional culture that supports improvement. The necessity for the lecturer and 

student to adopt a new culture that differs from the culture of the traditional school setting is 

 
8 B A Segoe and J M Dreyer, “The Reliability of Mentor Assessments in Teaching Practice in an Open Distance 

E-Learning (ODeL) Context,” International Journal of Educational Sciences 8, no. 1 (2015): 15–22, 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2015.11917588. 

9 Harry Daniels, Vygotsky and Research, Vygotsky and Research, 2008. 
10 Segoe and Dreyer, “The Reliability of Mentor Assessments in Teaching Practice in an Open Distance E-

Learning (ODeL) Context.” 
11 Lois Holzman, “On Behalf of Vygotsky,” in We Saved the Best for You: Letters of Hope, Imagination and Wisdom 

for 21st Century Educators, 2013. 



 
 

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related to online education (the new normal) (normal). Therefore, the institution’s philosophy 

will affect the new normal and digital philosophy is vital at this stage 12.  

b) Knowledge  

The social constructivist theory portrays knowledge as the outcome of learning from one 

another. In line with this paper, during the new normal and transition back to normal the 

students stay together to acquire more knowledge. Learning and teaching can only take place 

when there is an interaction between lecturer and student likewise student to student.  

Teaching and learning take place through the efforts of others. The new normal and normal 

encourage cooperation and collaboration, which adds to the social side of the theory. Students 

learn from the lecturer as well as from their peers. Teaching with technology fosters cognitive 

ability. Since no one can claim to have a monopoly on virtual learning, the bond and 

relationship between the instructor and student are crucial. According to this view, knowledge 

promotes intellectual growth. 

 

Method 

Research Paradigm 

Contrarily, interpretivism is linked to subjectivity and many realities. They frequently do 

their studies from the standpoint of personal experience. Their conclusions are frequently more 

specific to certain settings and conditions than generalizable to entire populations. They are 

frequently linked to the gathering of qualitative data that allows for numerous interpretations 13. 

Similar to positivists, the researcher first chooses a topic, studies the literature, plans the study, 

gathers qualitative data, analyses the data, and then further develops the underlying concepts and 

theories before reporting the results. Observations, document and narrative analysis, case studies, 

interviews, and audio-visual sources are all used by interpretivism to gather data. They discuss their 

findings in lengthy descriptions 14. 

 

Research Approach  

For this work, the researchers defined, recognized, and understood human phenomena, 

relationships, and discourse using a qualitative research approach. According to Lichtman, 

qualitative research enables researchers to gather, assemble, and extrapolate data from people 

through interviews and/or observations in their natural or everyday environments15. A systematic 

investigation of how a participant sees interprets, and experiences events differ from quantitative 

research, which deals with testing hypotheses using statistical tools, in that qualitative research 

 
12 Segoe and Dreyer, “The Reliability of Mentor Assessments in Teaching Practice in an Open Distance E-

Learning (ODeL) Context”; Adu, “Virtual Classroom: Prospects and Challenges of COVID 19 Pandemic in South 
Africa.” 

13 Celia A Taylor, “Development of a Modified Cohen Method of Standard Setting,” Medical teacher 33, no. 12 
(2011): e678–e682; John. W. Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry & Research Methods: Choosing among Five Approaches (Thounsand 
Oaks: CA: Sage, 2013). 

14 Taylor, “Development of a Modified Cohen Method of Standard Setting”; Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry & 
Research Methods: Choosing among Five Approaches. 

15 Richard Taulke-Johnson, “Book Review: MARILYN LICHTMAN, Qualitative Research in Education — 
A User’s Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006. 249 Pp (Including Index). ISBN 0761929355 (Hbk); ISBN 
1412937345 (Pbk) £39.95,” Qualitative Research 10, no. 2 (2010): 276–277, 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14687941100100020903. 



 
 

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focuses on exploring and understanding a social problem from an individual's point of view as it 

occurs in the natural setting. 

 

Research Design 

It used a phenomenological design. Investigating the qualitative design in which the in-

depth of a program, process, activity, and individuals are referred to as a phenomenon, according 

to Creswell 16. An in-depth analysis of one specific case study was used by Cohen et al.  to succinctly 

illustrate a phenomenon17. Its purpose is to use a particular incident to demonstrate a more general 

idea. 

 

Sample/Sampling Techniques 

The participants who are purposively selected and 8 university lecturers who are permanent 

employees of the university have gathered much experience so that they can provide such 

experience during the face-to-face interview. 

 

Data collection techniques 

The instrument for gathering information from the participants was a semi-structured 

interview, which was chosen over other varieties of interviews. To determine whether there are 

difficulties or not during the post-COVID-19 pandemic, participants were asked about their 

perspectives regarding the transition from the new normal caused by COVID-19 to normal 18. 

 

Data trustworthiness 

To produce the same results or outcomes in the future as they did in the past, qualitative 

data must be stable, predictable, dependable, consistent, and reliable. This is what is meant by 

qualitative data being trustworthy. The study adhered to the four qualities of qualitative research 

that Creswell 19 identified dependability, confirmability, verification, and transferability. 

Trustworthiness is defined as findings that are worth paying attention to. 

 

 

Data analysis 

The themes derived from the study questions were used to analyze the interviews. The semi-

structured interviews were recorded, as previously mentioned, and transcription of the data from 

the recorder was the initial stage in data analysis. This made it easier for the researchers to engage 

deeply with the data. The researchers' interpretation of the data was aided by the compilation of 

written transcriptions and first-hand accounts from the participants. 

 

 

 
16 John W Creswell, “Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method Aproaches,” SAGE 

Publications (2007). 
17 Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manion, and Keith Morrison, “Research Methods in Education (Eight Edition),” 

Abingdon, Oxon (2018). 
18 Mpu and Adu, “Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM Education.” 
19 John W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitatitif, Quantitatif, Dan Mixed Methods Approaches, Terj. Nur Khabibah 

(Jakarta: KIK Press, 2002). 



 
 

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Result and Discussion 

8 lecturers were interviewed and coded as L1-L8. The themes and sub-themes were derived 

from the research questions and the responses of the participants as follows: 

 

Theme 1: The coping of lecturers with the switch from the new normal to normal 

All the participants were asked how they are coping when they were asked to return to normal 

conventional face-to-face teaching. Most of them said they are very used to the new normal 

because they thought they will never return to normal conventional teaching. They said they have 

created the space like an office in their homes and use to staying at home to face machines 

(Laptops, smartphones, computers, and tablets). However, some of them are very specific. 

…you can say that again, I am not sure how long will it take me to cope with the normal teaching of face-to-face, 

remember, some of us have adapted to the new normal and gotten used to it and moving back now is another stress 

for me (L5). 

I have customised and tailored my mind to indoor teaching I have changed my daily chores and household activities 

because of the new normal. Look, my assessment mode and teaching style have changed to the extent that I have 

forgotten the physical contact classes (L2). 

I believe I will adapt slowly because the new normal is not up to 2 years, only that I never knew we can get back to 

normal face-to-face so soon like this. Now I am in the office still contacting my students online, even asking them if 

they prefer to continue with the virtual classroom (L1). 

Similarly, other participants corroborate the views above, however, some participants have the 

following to say, 

There is nothing much that has changed, I even love to be back in the office, I am positive in my thinking and l am 

very flexible and adapt easily to change. I am ready to show more support to my students and meeting them physically 

again is a good thing for me (L3).  

 

Theme 2: The experience of the lecturers when returning to normal from the new normal. 

As alluded to above, most of the lecturers sampled claimed that they never expected the return to 

normal face-to-face classroom teaching so soon. Some have the following to echo. 

Elsh… I have to put my house in order, what I mean is that I have to change my weekly programme and amend 

my activities timetable. Look, during the new normal I am the one that takes my child to school, now I organise a 

special shuttle to take him and bring him back home. I do my domestic chores, now I need to employ the 

service of domestic workers not only to clean but to stay with my child until I am back from the 

office (L8).   

Attendance in my classes is not encouraging, I have to use the social media platform to remind my 

students about the timetable for physical classes (L6).  

 

Thanks for your interview question, I am now reorganizing myself and amending my learning guide and the contents 

of my module. Remember, this will also have implications for curriculum review or amendment (L7).   

 

The coping strategies and the experience of the lecturers enumerated above show that 

there are diverse views about the shift from the new normal to normal according to Adu et al 2020 

who think that the impact of the new normal on all lecturers can never be the same. Some are not 

ready while some could not easily adapt, and some adapt to changes quickly.  However, they all 

agreed that they never thought it will be so quick, they have already adapted to the new normal 



 
 

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and gotten acquainted with the new assessments and mode of teaching, some of them passed 

through some stress and mental problems as part of the effect of new normal as alluded to by 

Olawale et al., discovered that the new normal affect academics’ mental health20.  

 

Conclusion and recommendations  

The paper revealed the coping strategies and experience of lecturers during the switch from 

the new normal due to COVID-19 to normal which is conventional face-to-face teaching. The 

two situations have left the lecturers and even students with many unprecedented experiences that 

have left indelible marks on academic exercise. Academics must incorporate the 4IR practices to 

be relevant. With or without COVID-19, there is a need for bridging the gap between global North 

and South with the use of sophisticated facilities. University lecturers should be flexible and ready 

for change at any time. Teaching and learning imply that the lecturer should think outside the box 

and leave their comfort zone, lecturers should undergo continuous professional teacher 

development (CPTD) regularly and practice blended approach pedagogy.     

 

References  

Adu, E O. “Virtual Classroom: Prospects and Challenges of COVID 19 Pandemic in South 
Africa.” JOURNAL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY 72, no. 1–3 (2020). 
http://dx.doi.org/10.31901/24566608.2020/72.1-3.3280. 

Cohen, Louis, Lawrence Manion, and Keith Morrison. “Research Methods in Education (Eight 
Edition).” Abingdon, Oxon (2018). 

Collins, Kristina Henry, and Javetta Jones Roberson. “Developing STEM Identity and Talent in 
Underrepresented Students: Lessons Learned From Four Gifted Black Males in a Magnet 
School Program.” Gifted Child Today 43, no. 4 (2020): 218–230. 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1076217520940767. 

Creswell, John. W. Qualitative Inquiry & Research Methods: Choosing among Five Approaches. 
Thounsand Oaks: CA: Sage, 2013. 

Creswell, John W. Research Design: Qualitatitif, Quantitatif, Dan Mixed Methods Approaches, Terj. Nur 
Khabibah. Jakarta: KIK Press, 2002. 

Creswell, John W. “Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method Aproaches.” 
SAGE Publications (2007). 

Daniels, Harry. Vygotsky and Research. Vygotsky and Research, 2008. 
Holzman, Lois. “On Behalf of Vygotsky.” In We Saved the Best for You: Letters of Hope, Imagination 

and Wisdom for 21st Century Educators, 2013. 
Mpu, Yolanda, and E O Adu. “Collaborative Virtual Learning in Education in STEM 

Education.” Management Studies 8, no. 4 (2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.17265/2328-
2185/2020.04.005. 

Olawale, Babawande Emmanuel, Bonginkosi Hardy Mutongoza, Emmanuel Adu, and Bunmi 
Isaiah Omodan. “COVID-19 Induced Psychosocial Challenges in South African Higher 
Education: Experiences of Staff and Students at Two Rural Universities.” Research in Social 
Sciences and Technology 6, no. 3 (2021): 179–193. http://dx.doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2021.37. 

Segoe, B A, and J M Dreyer. “The Reliability of Mentor Assessments in Teaching Practice in an 
Open Distance E-Learning (ODeL) Context.” International Journal of Educational Sciences 8, no. 
1 (2015): 15–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2015.11917588. 

Taulke-Johnson, Richard. “Book Review: MARILYN LICHTMAN, Qualitative Research in 

 
20 Olawale et al., “COVID-19 Induced Psychosocial Challenges in South African Higher Education: 

Experiences of Staff and Students at Two Rural Universities.” 



 
 

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Education — A User’s Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006. 249 Pp (Including Index). 
ISBN 0761929355 (Hbk); ISBN 1412937345 (Pbk) £39.95.” Qualitative Research 10, no. 2 
(2010): 276–277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14687941100100020903. 

Taylor, Celia A. “Development of a Modified Cohen Method of Standard Setting.” Medical teacher 
33, no. 12 (2011): e678–e682. 

 


