Emotional labour in online teaching for university lecturers after the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş and Hatay earthquakes: A narrative inquiry

Abstract

The use of technology in online and hybrid English classes has brought about significant changes in the role and responsibilities of English teachers. As students become increasingly reliant on technology, English teachers are now expected to provide emotional support to their students using digital tools in addition to academic guidance. This added responsibility, as one manifestation of emotional labour, can significantly impact English teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction. The current qualitative study sheds light on the experiences of 10 university lecturers teaching English after the decision to transfer the face-to-face courses online due to the devastating earthquake in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces in 2023, Türkiye. The data were collected through a narrative frame and semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis. Findings suggested that managing learners within the hybrid classroom increased the emotional labour of lecturers, as they had to navigate the complexities of engaging both online and in-person students simultaneously. Moreover, hybrid teaching demanded enhanced emotional regulation, increased multitasking, and continuous adjustments to teaching strategies preparing for either fully online or face-to-face classes to reduce the emotional labour. The findings may inform decision-makers to take into consideration the emotional labour of educators while making decisions on transitions among face-to-face, hybrid or online teaching