Returning to face-to-face classes: A look into doctoral students’ readiness for the new normal way of learning during the post-pandemic time

This is a narrative inquiry into the learning experiences of three ESL doctoral students (one from South America and two from Mainland China) in a thesis writing course during the post-pandemic time, focusing on: i) their readiness for adapting to the new normal face-to-face learning; and ii) how their online learning experiences during the pandemic may have informed and shaped their learning in post-pandemic face-to-face classes. Theoretically informed by Norton’s (2013) work on identity and language learning, seen from a sociocultural lens (Pavlenko & Lantolf, 2000), this study examines the meanings that the participants attached to their learning experiences and their identity (re-)construction in their learning process. A narrative of each student’s learning experiences was constructed based on the data collected from questionnaires and interviews with the participants. A thematic analysis was also conducted to highlight the common and idiosyncratic features of their learning experiences. The narratives in this study reveal the challenges doctoral students can encounter during the transition from online to face-to-face learning. The narratives also show that their identities were constantly negotiated and (re-)constructed during their learning. This study sheds light on the support and help that students need to adapt to the post-pandemic learning environment.