Teachers' (De)Motivation During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from Nepal

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced havoc in the world and Nepal is no exception. A transition from an in-person classroom to online classroom has been daunting for the students and teachers motivation level. The impact of teacher morale is often neglected by policymakers and all the stakeholders themselves, which may lead to teachers’ lack of motivation or "demotivation". Teachers’ demotivation is an emotional, cognitive, socio-cultural and psychological state that leads to exhaustion, depersonalization, burnout, decreased teacher achievement and self-worth stress. This study aimed to investigate the factors that supported and hindered Nepalese EFL teachers' motivation levels in their classrooms. A qualitative case study was employed as a research design. Four EFL secondary level teachers teaching at private schools in Kathmandu Valley were selected for this study. The teacher participants were chosen via a systematic random sampling procedure. The data was analyzed and interpreted using a thematic approach, employing survey questionnaires, teachers' interviews, and classroom observation as data collection instruments. The results of this study revealed that EFL teachers in private schools are intrinsically and extrinsically demotivated. The factors that demotivate these teachers include low wages, lack of continuing professional development, students' disruptive behaviors, job insecurity, and fewer holidays.