Digital Tools of the Trade. A Qualitative Study of EFL Teachers’ Use of Digital Tools in a Swedish Post-Pandemic Context

Abstract: Due to the increased focus on digitalisation in Swedish schools resulting from the digitalisation of society, pedagogical practices have changed. The Covid-19 pandemic introduced unique challenges to many teachers as education moved online. As digital tools became necessary for teaching, the need for digital competence became acute. There is a multitude of research investigating the pre-pandemic use of digital tools for EFL teaching, but there is a lack of studies conducted in a post-pandemic context. Through the accounts of 24 Swedish teachers, this qualitative study aims to contribute to the field by examining the post-pandemic use of digital tools in secondary school EFL teaching. The key findings of this study are that digital tools in Swedish EFL teaching were extensive and used to target various aspects of language learning. In contrast with research conducted before the pandemic, there was a balance between learner-centred and teacher-centred use of digital tools and between skill-based, practice-based and function-based practices. Teachers mostly believed these tools impacted their practice positively but also experienced some downsides related to their functionality and benefit to student achievement. In addition, the findings indicated that the majority of teachers had gained increased TPACK while teaching online during the pandemic. Moreover, it revealed a positive influence on the methodological practices of previously novice users of digital tools stemming from the pandemic teaching.