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cellular internet connectivity which can attendance purposes while going about
be erratic and hinders both streaming their day. As most of the teachers have
and downloading of online lectures. spent much of their career teaching
Additionally, students facing these in the offline setting, adopting online
issues often find themselves left behind teaching has posed several challenges
in terms of class participation, doubt- for them. Lack of student participation
solving and other class activities that and involvement in classes coupled
happen in real-time. with technological difficulties faced by
the teachers, many of them have not
3. Technophobia been experiencing the same level of
job satisfaction as they used to before
Technophobia refers to the fear of
technology. In the sphere of online their forced foray into online teaching
learning technophobia is something (Nambiar, 2020). In many cases, the
that can affect both teachers and teachers can be considered to be
students alike. Users are more likely “digital immigrants” while the students
to experience frustration and anxiety are “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001).
at least sometime during the usage of While most colleges and universities
technology (Oluwalola, 2015). Recurrent have campus support personnel and
episodes of frustration and anxiety technical staff who are available to help
can create some fear and aversion in faculty members by instructing and
the minds of users prompting them guiding them to learn the technicalities
to distance from technology. When of the online platform to be used for
students experience the problem, it conducting classes, it would not be
may even affect their interest in the possible for the technical team to
learning process. For several teachers provide the same level of guidance and
embracing technology clearly means instruction online as they could do by
stepping out of their comfort zones. demonstrating it in a physical setting.
Studies have reported a negative Moreover, it is not feasible for the
relationship between technophobia support staff to address issues of each
and the well-being of teachers (Singh, faculty member as they are bound to be
2017) and a positive relationship unique and extremely difficult to solve
between technophobia and distress without face- to- face interaction. Thus,
(Henderson et.al, 1995). Almost a fear could set in the minds of the
overnight, educators have been forced teachers which could be due to many
to transition from teaching using the reasons such as lack of knowledge to use
blackboard and a piece of chalk and the platform, fear of embarrassment
gauging students’ understanding or lack and fear of failure to deliver lectures
thereof by analyzing their facial cues to effectively in online settings. Several
teaching while staring at the computer cases have been reported in the
screen with no way of knowing how newspapers and social media channels
much the learner has understood wherein teachers have been shamed
or whether they are even attending and abused by the students for their
the class or have simply logged in for inability to effectively conduct lectures
in an online environment.

Indian Journal of Educational Technology 109
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021