No Teacher Left Offline: A Hermeneutic Study of Online Communication and Relationship Building for Near-Retirement Educators at Universities in Manila, Philippines

Abstract

Purpose: The pandemic forced a shift in the mode of delivery in education. Forcing everyone to migrate to the online platform just to make learning and communication possible. The platform is one thing, but paying attention to the sender of the message in the educational context is also a must to ensure effectiveness despite the trials. With near-retirement educators or those who belong to the baby boomer generation regarded as the tenured and respected individuals in the field, we must ensure support and assistance to help them navigate their way through an unmastered territory. This study seeks to understand the experiences of near-retirement educators and how they adapt to the obligatory online communication setup for relationship-building with their students. Data Gathering: Through purposeful sampling, four near-retirement educators were invited to a one-on-one interview where they shared narratives during the shift to fully online communication. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and, following the Hermeneutic approach, analyzed and interpreted. Findings: Four main themes emerged from the analysis that directly answered the research questions: (1) ‘Cause of Disconnect’ that focuses on the challenges and hurdles of the participants; (2) ‘Triumph to Reconnect’ that expounds on their wins and successes; (3) ‘Switching Gears’ that narrates their changed practices to adapt to the situation; and lastly, (4) ‘Embracing the Change’ that highlights their key learning and lessons they can impart as veterans in the field of education. These four main themes can be further analyzed with the help of three to four sub-themes present, respectively. Conclusion: Due to the haste generalization that we subject baby boomers to, we sometimes forget that the year a person is born or their age shall never be the sole determinant of how we perceive their actions. With a strong prejudice toward close-mindedness and receptivity to advancements, we box these individuals without knowing that they are more than that. The years under their belt should be seen as a sign of dedication, for they are driven by heart and fueled by passion, which resulted in their willingness to adapt to changes and embrace challenges for the welfare of their students. Ultimately, it will take more than a shift of mode and an unfamiliar platform before you can take a strong-willed individual like the four participants. Keywords: Online Communication in Education, Baby Boomers, Online Communication Practices, Relationship Building in Education, Intergenerational Communication,