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Charmaine Bissessar Editor
Emergency
Remote Learning,
Teaching and
Leading: Global
Perspectives
Emergency Remote Learning, Teaching
and Leading: Global Perspectives
Charmaine Bissessar
Editors
Emergency Remote
Learning, Teaching
and Leading: Global
Perspectives
Editor
Charmaine Bissessar
University of Guyana
Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana
ISBN 978-3-030-76590-3 ISBN 978-3-030-76591-0 (eBook)

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76591-0
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2021
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether
the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and
transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar
or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any
errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional
claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
My interest in online education has been ongoing. This volume contains empirical
data and literature on issues that surround emergency remote learning, teaching, and
leading. The current educational landscape and the fact that we are on the cusp of a
new way of engaging learning, teaching, and leading make this inquiry critical.
How do we handle the limitations of the virtual world? How have we been coping
with a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment (Bennis & Nanus,
1987)? How are teachers and leaders transforming volatility into vision, uncertainty
into understanding, complexity into clarity, and ambiguity into adaptability and
agility (Ghabour, 2020)? Such concerns are foremost in every educator’s mind as
we attempt a harmonious and seamless transition to the required emergency remote
conditions. Since the full effects of the pandemic will not be felt for a very long
time, there is a need to research, record, discuss, articulate, and ruminate on what is
currently happening. It is also necessary to capture the nuances of the new and dif-
ferent responsibilities of students, teachers, and leaders in emergency remote teach-
ing and learning. Teaching, leading, and learning are now being conducted via a
keyboard and screen with the human touch absent.
This volume, therefore, encompasses a spectrum of empirical and anecdotal
experiences from Trinidad, Grenada, Ghana, USA, Greece, Jamaica, and Ukraine
with literature reviews conducted by professors in the UK. Each author is involved
in teaching at the tertiary level and brings to bear a wealth of experience, expertise,
and knowledge to his/her chapter. Each chapter gives the reader a glimpse of quotid-
ian learning, teaching, and leading in a specific context.
The chapters in the first part relate to the challenges confronting students as per-
ceived by teachers. Chap. 1 discusses research on Trinidadian and Grenadian teach-
ers’ perceptions of the attendance, motivation, and engagement of students during
emergency remote learning. The author discusses issues of connectivity, Internet
access, the evident disparity between the haves and the have-nots, and the digital
divide. In Chap. 2, Sedofia and Ampadu deconstruct University of Ghana students’
approach to emergency remote learning tools as they try to adjust to this new way
of learning. The glaring issue of the digital divide is prominent in their discussion.
Samioti, in Chap. 3, examines the challenges that secondary education teachers
v
vi Preface
encountered during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. She con-
cludes that one of the main challenges was the disruption of personal communica-
tion between teachers and students. In Chap. 4, Slater and Cojanu undertake a
narrative literature review and reveal that learning definitions across primary and
secondary schools have not provided alternatives where synchronous and asynchro-
nous educational techniques could compete with the pandemic.
In Chap. 5, McCauley considers the feasibility of teaching Bachelor of Arts (BA)
dance, drama, or performance degrees through online learning. She examines the
standards necessary for a robust and comprehensive BA dance, drama, or perfor-
mance education as espoused by the QAA and then questions whether they can be
attained remotely. In Chap. 6, which concludes the first part, Ampadu and Sedofia
investigate the challenges University of Ghana’s students faced in emergency
remote learning when schools closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They
recommend ways in which the challenges might be addressed.
Part II contains two chapters. In Chap. 7, McFadzean and Mohabir-McKinley
present a literature review exploring the competencies that online faculty need in
order to develop and teach virtual classes. These include foundational competen-
cies – cognitive, creative, moral, emotional, and social intelligences – and virtual
ones such as didactic, technological, cultural, interactive, political, and time-
management competencies. In Chap. 8, Stukalo discusses the extent to which the
staff and students were prepared to teach and learn in pandemic conditions and
examines their first reactions and actions.
In Part III, Chap. 9, Onyefulu examines Jamaican teachers’ perceptions of their
principals’ leadership effectiveness in emergency remote learning during the pan-
demic. In Chap. 10, Hamid examines the literature on leading remotely and how
faculty’s activities and teamwork have been affected. She proposes a range of spe-
cific teaching and learning strategies to enhance the emergency remote work experi-
ence. In Chap. 11, Roofe examines instructional leadership practices of Jamaican
principals and vice principals during a period of crisis and notes their responses to
issues related to their followers’ digital skills and competencies. Stukalo, in the final
chapter, investigates the higher education quality assurance practices in emerging
remote learning, teaching, and leading.
This volume is intended for researchers, students, educators, administrators, and
policy makers who need contemporary, empirical knowledge and extant literature
on learning, teaching, and leading during the present emergency. Its sole purpose is
to create a space for researchers and key stakeholders involved in all aspects of
education to share, discuss, and think about the prevailing challenges and opportu-
nities that have resulted from the suspension of face-to-face education. It adds to the
limited extant research on emergency remote education.
Docendo discimus
While teaching we learn
Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana Charmaine Bissessar

COVID-19
COVID-19 sneaked up upon us like a thief in the night

Shattering everything we thought education, socialization, and communica-
tion were.
We were forced to embrace this shift in paradigm and were galvanized into action
Most of us were unprepared.
Those who had some experience suddenly became experts, lending support, vision,
and know-how to allow for a seamless transition from a face-to-face to emer-
gency, remote leading, teaching, and learning.
Teachers had to learn to navigate the online environment in order to succeed and
meet students’ needs. Their accessibility or lack thereof was never taken into
consideration.
Parents were suddenly given added the responsibilities of teaching their children as
well as monitoring, supervising, and motivating them.
Under these onerous and concomitant responsibilities, parents feel overburdened,
and lack the patience and understanding to fill the obvious silo in their children’s
education.
Teachers are burnt out and feel disconnected from their peers, students, and parents.
They feel left behind.
Socialization as we know it seems to be lost.
The disconnect continues with leaders.
Leaders are learning how to lead via a screen.
They now have to learn how to influence, motivate, and show empathy via a key-
board….replacing the human touch.
COVID-19 continues unabated, unaware of the turmoil it has brought to our on
society and how our culture is being redefined.
vii
Acknowledgments
As the editor, I would like to thank the contributors for making this volume possible.
I would like to acknowledge their hard work, diligence, willingness to peer review,
and make changes based on suggestions made. I would also like to thank the partici-
pants who devoted their time to participate in the studies. I would also like to thank
the administrators who gave permission for the studies to be conducted. I would
especially like to acknowledge Mr. Alim Hosein, Dr. Tamirand De. Lisser, and Dr.
Paulette Henry from the University of Guyana who gave of their time to peer review
chapters. Your efforts are appreciated.
In particular, Panagiota Samioti would like to thank all the teacher-participants
in this research. She would also like to thank her colleague, Charmaine Bissessar,
for her constructive comments that greatly improved the manuscript.
Lori Slater and Kevin Cojanu would like to thank the educators, students, and
business professionals who continue to strive for innovative solutions during the
pandemic.
Shahnaz Hamid is deeply grateful for the unconditional support of her husband,
Mirza Khader, whom she loves and admires. She dedicates this work to her parents,
Dr. Syed Hamid and Dr. Afsari Hamid; her husband, Mirza Khader; and beautiful
kids, Ayesha and Junaid. Her deepest gratitude to Dr. Charmaine Bissessar and col-
leagues in academia for their enthusiastic support that kept her going. Thank you to
the authors who have contributed towards this book. It is wonderful to be a member
of this distinguished team!
Elspeth McFadzean and Sandra Mohabir-Mckinley would like to thank the edi-
tor and the anonymous reviewers who provided constructive feedback that enabled
them to develop their chapter further. In addition, they are grateful to their online
colleagues who inspired them to undertake this work.
ix
Contents
Part I Emergency Remote Learning

Trinidadian and Grenadian Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’
Attendance, Motivation, and Engagement During Emergency
Remote Teaching�� 3
Charmaine Bissessar

COVID-19 and Emergency Education Strategies in University
of Ghana: Students’ Knowledge of Emergency Remote Learning�� 21
John Sedofia and Ernest Ampadu

Emergency Remote Educational Challenges During COVID-19:
The Case of Secondary Education Teachers in Greece�� 37
Panagiota Samioti

Student Internships: COVID-19 Implications and
Recommendations for Higher Education�� 55
Lori A. Slater and Kevin A. Cojanu

Higher Education Dance, Drama and Performance Through
Distance Learning Beyond Times of Crisis�� 81
Kate McCauley

Covid-19 and Emergency Education Strategies in University
of Ghana: Students’ Challenges with Emergency Remote Learning�� 103
Ernest Ampadu and John Sedofia
Part II Emergency Remote Teaching

a Matter of Intelligence: Faculty Competencies for Virtual
All
Learning�� 123
Elspeth McFadzean and Sandra Mohabir-McKinley
xi
xii Contents

How Prepared Are We for Emergency Remote Education?
Case of Ukraine�� 159
Nataliia Stukalo
Part III Emergency Remote Leadership

Perceived Effectiveness of School Leadership in Emergency
Remote Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic�� 179
Cynthia Onyefulu

Leading Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications
for Faculty Activities and Teamwork �� 199
Shahnaz Hamid

Instructional Leadership During Crisis: Jamaican School Leaders’
Response�� 217
Carmel Roofe

Higher Education Quality Assurance in Pandemic Times �� 235
Nataliia Stukalo
Index�� 251
Contributors
Ernest Ampadu Department of Learning, Royal Institute of Technology,

Stockholm, NA, Sweden
Charmaine Bissessar University of Guyana, Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana
Kevin A. Cojanu Pole Star, Port Lucie, Florida, USA
Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, GA, USA
Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, AL, USA
Shahnaz Hamid London School of Business and Finance, London, UK
University of Roehampton (Online), London, UK
Kate McCauley University of Roehampton London Online, London, UK
Goldsmith’s University, London, UK
Elspeth McFadzean Laureate Online Education, University of Liverpool,
Liverpool, UK
Sandra Mohabir-McKinley Laureate Online Education, University of Liverpool,
Liverpool, UK
Cynthia Onyefulu University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica
Carmel Roofe School of Education, The University of the West Indies,
Mona, Jamaica
Panagiota Samioti University of Crete, Chania, Greece
John Sedofia University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Lori A. Slater Business School, University of Roehampton London Online,
Waller, TX, USA
Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, GA, USA
Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, AL, USA
xiii
xiv Contributors
Nataliia Stukalo University of Roehampton/Liverpool (Online), London, UK

London School of Business and Finance, London, UK
National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance, Kyiv, Ukraine
Part I
Emergency Remote Learning
Trinidadian and Grenadian Teachers’
Perceptions of Students’ Attendance,
Motivation, and Engagement During
Emergency Remote Teaching
Charmaine Bissessar
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the need for 1.38 billion students to
transition swiftly from face-to-face to emergency remote teaching and learning
(UNESCO, 2020 as cited by Li & Lalani, 2020). As this occurred, students and
teachers had to make paradigm shifts in their concepts as to what teaching and
learning look like and what pertains within the context of the new normal. As emer-
gency remote teaching (ERT) became more prevalent, the chinks in the proverbial
armor began to show as issues in accessibility, attendance, motivation, and student
engagement took center stage. Insightfully, according to Fore (as cited by
Thompson, 2020), the “lack of internet access is costing the next generation their
futures” (para. 5). In fact, Thompson (2020) reported, “Two thirds of the world’s
school-age children – or 1.3 billion children ages 3 to 17 years old - do not have
internet connection in their homes, according to a new joint report from UNICEF
and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)” (para. 2). She furthered
that it is no longer a “digital gap but a digital canyon” (para. 3).
Predictably, the digital divide is promoting and sustaining inequalities even
more than before (Thompson, 2020). In a study conducted in the United States,
Stelitano et al. (2020) found that students in more affluent areas of the United
States had more and better access to technology than students in rural areas with
lower-poverty schools reporting lack of access to technology. Similarly, in
California, teachers are concerned about the digital divide and the “COVID slide”
as the lacuna between the haves and have-nots amplify exponentially (Ceres, 2021,
para. 8).
C. Bissessar (*)
University of Guyana, Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 3

Switzerland AG 2021
C. Bissessar (ed.), Emergency Remote Learning, Teaching and Leading:
Global Perspectives, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76591-0_1
4 C. Bissessar
According to Jaramillo (2020), Internet access is less than 50% in the Caribbean
and Latin America. Jaramillo moved the discussion from digital gap/canyon to
“digital poor” where there is not only limited access to Internet broadband but the
repercussions of the pandemic can be felt in the loss of jobs inter alia. However,
Internet access and lack of devices go hand-in-hand. Chaitram (2021), in describ-
ing the issues of access to devices and online classes in Trinidad, indicated that
there are 30,000 students without devices to attend synchronous and asynchronous
sessions. Furthermore, an updated report on Trinidadian students indicated that
46,770 students have never logged on to an online portal (McKenzie, 2021). The
most “at risk” students are primary school students since 39,861 have been unable
to access online resources. Additionally, 6309 secondary school students and 2195
early childhood education students have been unable to access online resources
(McKenzie). This phenomenon is not just typical of Trinidad but is a global issue
that has been in existence since the inception of technology in the classroom. With
the issue of digital divide and digital gap, this study poses the following research
questions:
1. What is students’ attendance in Grenada and Trinidad during the early stages of
the pandemic?
2. What are teachers’ views on students’ access to Internet broadband and devices
in Trinidad and Grenada?
3. What are teachers’ views of students’ motivation and engagement?
Literature Review
Emergency Remote Teaching and Pandemic Learning Modes
Hodges et al. (2020) coined emergency remote teaching (ERT) as “a temporary

shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to crisis circum-
stances” (para. 10). They see this as teaching, which takes place synchronously and
asynchronously and replaces face-to-face teaching due to extenuating circum-
stances. Nagpal (2020) termed learning during COVID-19 as pandemic learning
modes, which encompass all aspects of remote/online learning. This was termed
pandemic pedagogy (Hodges et al., 2020; Milman, 2020) and emergency remote
learning (Rahiem, 2020).
Students’ Attendance and Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT)
Earlier studies on students’ attendance and achievement found that school atten-
dance determined whether high school students graduated. Attendance at school
could obliterate prior academic achievement (Heppen & Therriault, 2008, as cited
Trinidadian and Grenadian Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Attendance, Motivation… 5
by Chambers et al. 2020). Therefore, the higher students’ attendance the greater
student achievement will be. Liberman (2020) reported that student absenteeism
has doubled during the pandemic. In April 2020, according to Liberman, there was
5% absenteeism. However, as of October 2020, this has doubled to 10% absentee-
ism as reported by Liberman in a survey of educators in the United States.
Chambers et al. (2020) also found that educators and policy makers are con-
cerned about students’ attendance and, by extension, students’ achievement during
the pandemic. They stated that attendance predicts students’ success. However,
during the pandemic, huge disparities appeared in the United States where Blacks,
Latinos, and Native American students were disproportionally disadvantaged
because they could not attend classes due to a lack of access to high-speed Internet
and devices (Attendance Works, 2020).
Moreover, Chambers et al. (2020) indicated that chronic absenteeism affects
students’ success and educational attainment. In virtual interviews in four districts
in the United States, Chambers et al. found that there is no established definition of
attendance within the emergency remote teaching and learning context. They also
found that there is no accepted measure of attendance during the pandemic. With
the absence of measures, educators used time spent on the learning management
system (LMS) platforms and the “quantity of online activities completed” to deter-
mine attendance and engagement (p. 1).
However, regular attendance was stymied by such challenges as lack of Internet
access, shared computers, varying schedules for parent and child, disruptions dur-
ing synchronous sessions, and no quiet space to attend sessions (De Witt, 2020;
Kajeet, 2020). Kajeet (2020) indicated that students might not have access to
Internet and, pre-COVID-19, that students would have been accessing Internet via
public facilities such as libraries, hot spots, and community centers. De Witt (2020)
and Liberman (2020) reported that students not only have issues with lack of access
to Internet but also have no devices. Another issue is that of shared devices where
there might be one device for the entire family with children and parents compet-
ing for that device (Kajeet, 2020).
Digital Divide
Digital divide was popularized in the 1990s when researchers began to see a gap in
the broadband access to information (The Digital Divide, ICT, and Broadband
Internet, 2021). President Clinton in 2000 in his state of the union speech indicated
that there was a need to close the digital gap (Daley, 2020). Twenty years later, the
digital divide continues to be an issue in every education system. This is more
chronic given emergency remote teaching. In fact, the digital divide has expanded,
as more persons have no access to Internet broadband and devices (Thompson,
2020). This preoccupation with the inequality and inequity in access and use of
technology is exacerbated further since the pandemic has left billions without
access to education via no Internet connectivity (Thompson). Furthermore, Hilbert
6 C. Bissessar
(2016) indicated that the digital inequality is increasing instead of decreasing. With
the pandemic in full force, one wonders how much this has increased over the last
year. Put bluntly, with the lack of access to education through Internet and technol-
ogy, that divide has now become a canyon. According to Thompson:
The digital divide is perpetuating inequalities that already divide countries and communi-
ties, the report notes. Children and young people from the poorest households, rural and
lower income states are falling even further behind their peers and are left with very little
opportunity to ever catch up. (para. 10)
Accessibility
As education at all levels transitioned to synchronous or asynchronous modes of

delivery, students’ accessibility became a fundamental issue. In a poll conducted,
Mangrum (2020) concluded that more than half of teachers were concerned with
students’ access to ERT. Barna (2020) echoed that students who do not have access
to Internet, devices, and broadband communication are being left behind in ERT. In
a poll conducted by the Trinidadian Ministry of Education, it was reported that
“34.1 percent of primary school teachers and 35.3 percent of secondary school
teachers agreed that their students did not have reliable internet” (McKenzie,
2021, p.1).
The Internet abounds with stories of students not being able to access Internet
(a paradox in itself) or their lack of devices with students and parents spending the
school day outside schools in order to access the Internet. There are also numerous
stories of students being given devices as an act of philanthropy among organiza-
tions and altruistic individuals. However, these attempts at bridging the canyon
between access and lack thereof, are but small droplets in the ocean with regard to
students being left behind because of inaccessibility to basic resources. Barna
(2020) underscored this evident crisis when he stated that the first semester of the
academic year 2020/2021 would result in millions of students without access to
high-speed broadband Internet. This is similar to Stelitano et al.’s (2020) RAND
study, which found that teachers in high-poverty schools reported higher inacces-
sibility to Internet and devices.
In schools in the United States located in high-poverty areas, teachers reported
that only 30% of their students did not have access to Internet as opposed to 83%
for teachers in low-poverty areas. This study concluded that poverty played a piv-
otal role in students’ accessibility or lack thereof to high-speed Internet access.
Thompson (2020) also found that most of the students globally do not have access
to high-speed Internet and are being left behind. In their Pew study, Vogels et al.
(2020) found that “a disproportionate share of those who lack access to a reliable
internet connection and devices are Black, Hispanic, live in rural areas, or come
from low-income households” (para. 6). Instead of creating bridges, technology
has created a digital canyon with a bulk of the world’s students being left behind.
This is confirmed in a study conducted by Lake and Makori (2020) who drew
similar conclusions as Thompson, Stelitano et al. (2020), and Barna (2020).
Mangrum (2020) stated that only 38% of the teachers they polled were teaching
virtually. Similarly, Lake and Makori (2020) concluded that students in low-
poverty areas are less likely to expect teachers to provide synchronous and asyn-
chronous sessions. These students were also less likely to expect teachers to “track
attendance, or grade their assignments” (para. 1). They credited this with the digi-
tal divide, which they described as “the inability of students to do schoolwork at
home due to lack of internet or device access” (para. 2). Daley (2020) also men-
tioned the homework gap stating that those who do not have Internet access are at
a disadvantage when it comes to homework. She stated, “1 in 5 teenage students
frequently miss homework assignments because of lack of technology or Internet
access” (para. 5). Similarly, a Pew Study by Vogels et al. (2020) found that the
lower the income of the American family, the more that family is likely to feel the
pinch of the digital divide or digital “home-work gap.” However, according to
Daley, there is no surprise there in the homework gap and the link to digital gap.
It is critical that all countries find ways to fill the digital gap between the haves
and have-nots. Stelitano et al. (2020) recommended that infrastructure and
access are critical problems and key stakeholders need to ensure that they put
effective mechanisms in place to stymie the continued digital gap between high-
and low-poverty students. Furthermore, Barna (2020) described some of the stories
that were mentioned in social media and other newsfeeds. He stated, “Some stu-
dents have been relegated to traveling miles to Wi-Fi parking lots, where they pick
up an internet signal - such as from a library, coffee shop or hotspot - to take remote
classes and do homework” (p. 5). This has become the new normal as students and
parents attempt to fill the digital canyon that is threatening to engulf them vis-a-vis
accessibility to high-speed Internet and devices. Nevertheless, Barna indicated that
the USA implemented a Lifeline program geared toward targeting the lack of
accessibility to Internet among low-income families. However, Barna segued that
this initiative would help seven million students in the United States. This is a start.
Lake and Makori (2020) stated that there is a need for national (and global)
drive to close the gap, which is axiomatic and has been widening instead of con-
tracting. Daley (2020) took this further and described that Washington, DC,
planned to provide free Internet access to 25,000 low-income families. She also
indicated that Chicago plans to provide Internet access to 100,000 public schools
over a 4-year period. She cited the long-term importance of this where studies have
shown that students with Internet access perform better academically. These are
baby steps in filling the digital canyon that currently exists between students who
have access to Internet and those who do not have access. However, she said that
there is a need to transcend the ideas of simply making Internet more accessible
and examine how the Internet is being used.
Furthermore, Daley (2020) stated that there is a need to provide “digital naviga-
tors” who will help individuals who have access to the technology with digital lit-
erary. Congruently, Li and Lalani (2020) resonated these statements indicating that
training in digital literacy is needed in addition to access to Internet and devices.
8 C. Bissessar
This author agrees with this since, from her own experience, she has found that
digital literacy is needed and transcends generations. It is needed for both digital
immigrants and natives who need to navigate ERT and pandemic modes of learn-
ing/pandemic pedagogy or emergency remote learning (ERL).
Parental Involvement During ERT
In their discussion of parental involvement during the pandemic, Bhamani et al.

(2020) concluded that Pakistani parents have stepped up to the plate and filled the
gaps in teaching and learning for their children. They indicated that when parents
helped their children with their school work, such collaborations formed bonds.
Conversely, Garbe et al. (2020) concluded that parents in the United States strug-
gled with issues such as added responsibilities, their children’s motivation, and
accessibility to resources. Parents in both studies felt overwhelmed and struggled
to deal with several learners in the same house and learner motivation. The Pakistani
parents struggled with their children vis-a-vis maintaining schedules. In Trinidad,
Mc Kenzie (2021) noted that most “parents felt comfortable supporting their chil-
dren academically during virtual classes, there were challenges in managing their
own work and their children’s schoolwork and keeping a steady schedule for their
child” (p. 1).
Students’ Motivation/Engagement During ERT
Bissessar, Black, and Boolaky (2019) conducted a study of online graduate stu-
dents’ self-determination to succeed despite the odds. They concluded that the
more motivated, autonomous, and competent the student, the more successful the
student would be in completing his/her study. This was before the pandemic, when
students opted to study online rather than face-to-face. However, with the pan-
demic, emergency remote teaching was foisted on students and teachers forcing
quick changes to facilitate a seamless education with little disruption. In terms of
students’ motivation, Gillis (2020) suggested that the lack of access to Internet and
devices could lead to demotivated students and have an effect on their attendance.
The literature on students’ motivation during the pandemic focuses on tips and best
practices rather than any studies examining students’ motivation in ERT. Therefore,
this study adds to the extant empirical research.
Chambers, Scala, and English (2020) stated that educators and policy makers
are concerned about students’ attendance, being able to reach students, and being
able to engage students. They considered attendance and engagement as intercon-
nected. However, scant research exists on students’ attendance and engagement
during the pandemic in the K-12 environment. A poll conducted by the Trinidadian
Ministry of Education found that “51.9 percent of primary school students and
52.1% of secondary school students – reported difficulty staying focused during

remote learning” (McKenzie, 2021, p. 1). McKenzie further stated that most stu-
dents felt unusually stressed.
Fredericks, Blumenfield, and Parris (2004) discussed three types of engage-
ment: behavioral, affective, and cognitive. They are interrelated and intercon-
nected. They defined behavioral as actively participating in class through question
and answers, paying attention, effort, and persistence. Affective relates to the indi-
vidual’s emotions, sense of belonging, attitudes, values, and ability to become
absorbed in the task. Cognitive involves deep rather than surface learning where
the individual values learning and moves along the continuum from lower-order to
higher-order thinking.
Chambers et al. (2020) found that some families reached out to teachers and
were willing to give feedback. They also concluded that, in instances, where there
were more personalized connections made between students and teachers that the
level of student engagement was higher. For example, they affirmed that students
who shared their personal stories with the teachers felt a bond and this resulted in
increased engagement. They further noted that the families that normally do not
engage in the face-to-face environment also do not engage during the pandemic.
From the educators’ perspectives, Carter, Pleasants, and Muhammed (2021) sug-
gested that teachers should strive to entertain. They should share funny stories with
their students in order to create connections and humanize the ERT environment.
Keller’s (2009) ARC is suggested as a framework that could be used to foster
students’ motivation during pandemic modes of learning/ERL. The letter “A”
stands for attention, which is concerned with capitalizing on students’ curiosity,
and maintain it. The letter “R” encompasses relevance and addresses the question
of the value of the discussion/information/class to the students’ present personal
worth (Gillis, 2020). Additionally, relevance begs the question, “What would this
class mean to the student in the future?” Confidence involves the students’ belief
that they will succeed and grow in small steps. Students should be satisfied with
their accomplishments and sense of achievement. The types of feedback and rein-
forcements are critical to increased student motivation.
Methodology
This qualitative intrinsic case study using the interpretivist paradigm compared the
perspectives of 37 Trinidadian and 44 Grenadian teachers regarding their views on
their students’ attendance, engagement, and motivation during the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic in April and May 2020. The approach of qualitative research
used was case study because a case study allows data to be collected based on a
single phenomenon (Yin, 2009). The sampling method was purposive since the
questionnaire was posted online on two teachers’ Facebook pages. The administra-
tors of both Facebook pages gave permission for the questionnaire to be posted
online seeking participants. The participants were assured anonymity and
10 C. Bissessar
confidentiality with results recorded collectively rather than individually.

Participants completed the questionnaire via Google forms. The researcher was the
only person who had access to the Google forms.
On 9 January 2021, a perusal of the Trinidadian Facebook page – A Teacher’s
Voice – showed that there were 8200 members. Nevertheless, only 37 individuals
participated in the study. There were 4 male and 33 female participants. Thirteen
participants were ages 29–39 years old, 20 participants were ages 40–50 years old,
and 4 participants were over 50 years old. The administrator of the Grenadian
Facebook page Heart 2 Heart gave the researcher permission to conduct the study.
Questions were posted on April 11 and 12, and 44 responses were obtained. Thirty-
five females and nine males with ages ranging from 23 to over 56 responded to the
questionnaire. Five participants were ages 23–33, 10 were ages 34–44, 26 were
ages 45–55, and 3 persons were over 56 years. Seven participants were school
administrators, 21 taught at the primary level, 4 taught at kindergarten, 11 at sec-
ondary level, with 1 at the tertiary level. A visit to the Facebook page Heart 2 Heart
on January 9, 2021, indicated that there are 550 members; however, only 44 indi-
viduals opted to complete the questionnaire. Teachers responded to the following
questions:
1. What percentage of your student population has attended the online classes?
2. Do you believe that you are engaging students in the online environment. If yes,
give an example, if no why not?
3. Do you believe that your students are motivated to learn via the online learning
environment. If yes, give an example, if no why not?
Data Analysis
Thematic analysis of the data latently and semantically indicated that there were
recurring themes and ideas (Gibbs, 2007). The data were analyzed between case
studies since there were no significance differences found within case studies.
Creswell’s (2012) six steps to data analysis were adhered to where the researcher
became familiar with the data; generated initial codes; searched for themes;
reviewed the themes; defined themes; and wrapped up. The researcher used the
inductive approach to data analysis as is associated with qualitative methodology
(Saldaña, 2016). First, open coding determined the various themes that recurred.
The researcher used descriptive coding where themes of similar data sets were
examined (Saldaña). The researcher conducted simultaneous coding where she
coded the data by applying more than one code to the data set based on latent and
manifest meanings (Saldaña). The researcher did this to ensure that the rich data
were represented in the coding process. As much as possible, the researcher
attempted to be as objective as possible in analyzing the data by coding and leaving
the data for a 2-week period and re-coding the data. This allowed for credibility
and dependability of the final themes generated. She also conducted an intraclass
coefficient (ICC) reliability test. According to Cicchetti (1994), the ICC reliability
of 0.804 is a good level based on Shrout and Fleiss’s (1979) convention of the third
model of ICC (3.1) where the researcher was the only rater of interest to assess
the data.
Findings
Attendance
There was an obvious deficit in students’ attendance during the synchronous ses-
sions for both Trinidadian and Grenadian students. The percentages below point to
the serious issue of attendance and the ripple effect of student achievement because
of their lack of attendance. The issue of lack of attendance and students left behind
is a worrisome one especially given the pandemic. Chambers et al. (2020) were
concerned about students’ attendance and engagement, while Kajeet (2020) and
De Witt (2020) found that students’ attendance or lack thereof could be attributed
to such factors as dearth of Internet, devices, shared devices, serving as caregivers
for younger siblings, and lack of a quiet space inter alia. The attendance percent-
ages below for both islands do not indicate the reasons for poor attendance given
the fact that one participant indicated that the students cannot be reached and
another stated that they are not turning up and logging on. However, more research
could lead to generalizations and substantiate the conclusions as to students’ lack
of attendance in both islands and in the Caribbean.
All Trinidadian participants indicated that the attendance is poor. However,
when pressed to give a percentage of the students who are present online, the fol-
lowing statistics were indicated. Two persons said none. One person said it was not
applicable. One indicated that she was only conducting asynchronous classes.
However, for attendance of students from 1% to 40%, 10 participants indicated that
their students’ attendance was within this range. Five participants indicated that
their attendance was 50% with five teachers having attendance between 80% and
100%. Four participants had attendance at 60% and nine participants had atten-
dance from 66% to 79%. Trinidadian Participant 16 stated, “Students are not turn-
ing up.” Trinidadian Participant 36 indicated that the students’ attendance is poor
because they are waiting for face-to-face teaching. The Trinidadian participants
also indicated that students are simply not logging on. Furthermore, they are not
motivated to attend the online sessions.
Two Grenadian participants indicated that they just send work to their students
and do not have classes. One Grenadian participant indicated that she could not
calculate the percentage of attendance. Nine participants indicated that their stu-
dents’ attendance was between 0% and 40%. Fourteen participants indicated that
their students’ attendance was from 41% to 70%. Seventeen participants indicated
that their students’ attendance was from 71% to 100%.
12 C. Bissessar
Shared Resources
The issue of shared computers and the resulting lack of attendance is a challenge.
Kajeet (2020) and Chambers et al. (2020) reported that students might have poor
attendance due to several persons in the house having to share one device. Within
this study, shared resources did not recur many times. Nevertheless, it is an impor-
tant barrier to students’ attendance, motivation, and engagement. Trinidadian
Participant 31 pointed out the issue of shared resources in one family. She stated,
“Most of them don’t have their own computer to use and they have to depend on
parents and older siblings’ devices.” Grenadian Participant 13 stated, “Most stu-
dents don’t have proper devices. They are using their parents’ phones and there may
be more than one child who has to receive work from that one.” Therefore, the
issue of shared devices is significant when considering students’ attendance.
Digital Divide
Accessibility to Students
Even before the pandemic, students’ access to high-speed Internet and devices was
an issue. However, the pandemic has amplified the situation. Mangrum (2020),
Barna (2020), Stelitano et al. (2020), Thompson (2020), and Vogels et al. (2020)
found that teachers are concerned about students’ access to high-speed Internet and
devices. According to both Grenadian and Trinidadian participants, students’
accessibility to devices and the Internet seemed to be the most critical issue facing
them when teaching remotely. Teachers complained that students had issues in
accessibility. In some instances where they had Internet access, they were refusing
to attend classes.
However, there were instances where there was no access. Trinidadian
Participant 8 stated, “Most of my students do not have access to devices and inter-
net.” It must be noted that Participant 8 indicated that she teaches in rural Trinidad,
which could also reflect differences between the haves and have-nots in rural and
urban households. Trinidadian Participant 12 also stated that the students “have no
devices of their own.” This participant indicated that she teaches in South Trinidad,
which could also link to lack of access to Internet and devices in rural areas. A
report on the mapping of poverty rate in Trinidad in 2011 indicated that South-
West Trinidad has a Multidimensional Poverty Index of 0.016 (Oxford Poverty and
Human Development Initiative, 2011). These responses reflect similar conclusions
drawn by Thompson (2020), Mangrum (2020), Barna (2020), and Chambers et al.
(2020). Although the teachers’ responses did not determine whether families are
high- or low-income, the teachers taught at rural schools, where access to high-
speed Internet and devices could be limited.Vogels et al. (2020) found that a simi-
lar situation existed in the United States.
Grenadian Participant 1 stated, “Yes but not 100% due to accessibility of com-
puter or other devices and internet.” Grenadian Participant 12 stated, “A lot of them
do not have the necessary facilities and tools needed for such an approach to be
effective.” Grenadian Participant 2 stated, “At times, I can sense the interest and
students are very attentive, however, I think oftentimes students are distracted and
some have connectivity issues, therefore, during class they may not be seen then
reappear.” Trinidadian Participant 19 explained, “They are distracted easily when
their friends come on and they start to chat. Sometimes family members interrupt
them during the session.” These responses exemplify both disruption and connec-
tivity issues, which are related to access. In fact, De Witt (2020) discussed the issue
of disruption due to family responsibilities, which could lead to low or no
attendance.
Digital “Homework Gap” and Parental Involvement
Trinidadian Participant 14 mentioned the need for more parental involvement indi-
cating, “Most parents don’t take the time to transfer information.” In this case, it
was evident that this was not because of lack of access to technology but lack of
parental involvement. On the other hand, Grenadian Participant 24 complained
about too much parental involvement. She opined, “There is evidence that some of
the assignments submitted by students were done by their parents.” Grenadian
Participant 38 stated same, “I believe that the parents are the ones completing
activities.” Therefore, there is definitely too much parental involvement and more
need for students to take the initiative in their learning. These statements point to
the fact that parents might have been overwhelmed and not help in anyway or took
on the tasks themselves. However, further probing would have revealed whether
this was the reason. It must be noted that parents in Bhamani et al. (2020) and
Garbe et al.’s (2020) studies complained about being overwhelmed and that they
struggled to cope with their children’s demotivation.
Grenadian Participant 9 explained, “The majority are not being engaged because
they don’t have their own devices and parents take the assignments and pass on to
the students who have to get them.” This is similar to findings by Lake and Makori
(2020), Daley (2020), and Vogels et al. (2020) who concluded that there was a
homework gap because of the digital divide. Parents from low-income home with
no access to the Internet are at a disadvantage. From issues in lack of engagement,
Trinidadian Participant 20 highlighted the short attention span and stated, “Some
students do not learn unless they engage in activities that allow them to see the
content in action also it’s a challenge to keep students occupied for more than 30
minutes.” These responses reflect Keller’s (2009) ARCS where students need to
see the value of what they are learning and their curiosity needs to be aroused.
14 C. Bissessar
Accessibility to Teachers
There is a dearth of information on teachers’ access to high-speed Internet and

devices; however, this is a real issue which this researcher has experienced first-
hand. The participants in this study indicated that there were issues in access to
devices. According to McKenzie (2021), in a poll conducted by the Trinidadian
Ministry of Education, “81.5 percent of secondary school teachers and 71.0 per-
cent of primary school teachers” agreed that they had reliable Internet connections
(p. 2). Therefore, the issue in access was relevant not only to students but also to
teachers. Trinidadian Participant 3 (taught in rural Trinidad) explained that she did
not think that she was able to engage the students fully because “I don’t do live
teaching because I do not have a reliable computer and I don’t have a whiteboard.”
This echoes what Steiltano et al. (2020) found in their RAND study. They con-
cluded that teachers in low-income areas will have issues in accessibility to the
Internet and devices. Congruently, Lake and Makori (2020) also reported that stu-
dents and teachers in rural areas are less likely to participate in synchronous and
asynchronous sessions. It must be noted that the Multidimensional Poverty
Index (MPI) for Central Trinidad, where this teacher taught, is 0.02. This percent-
age is low.
Students’ Motivation or Lack Thereof
In their discussion of motivation, teachers mentioned the inaccessibility to

resources as diminishing students’ motivation. Trinidadian Participant 20
explained, “Students are facing their own unique challenges at home. Some can
connect while others cannot and it can severely demotivate students.” As men-
tioned by Daley (2020) and Li and Lalani (2020), digital literacy is important to
students, teachers, and parents, and it is more than just an issue of accessibility.
This is also similar to Gillis’ (2020) view that the lack of access to Internet and
devices could lead to demotivated students. Trinidadian Participant 22’s response
mirrors this. She explained that some students are “Eager to use the technology but
some are not sure how to use it and some don’t have the needed resources. Some
just not interested or motivated.” However, she also highlighted the lack of student
motivation, which seems to be weaving an indelible thread throughout this discus-
sion. This would suggest that there is a need for instructional design techniques to
be implemented for the teachers to arouse and engage their students (Keller, 2009).
Daley (2020) indicated that there was a transference of similar behavior from
face-to-face to emergency remote learning. Students who were motivated and
interested before the pandemic would be the same during the pandemic. Trinidadian
Participant 33 stated, “They are lazy and do not work in the school environment
and doing so online is the same.” Trinidadian Participant 29 noted, “The ones that
were the same at school are doing the same online. Those who were not showing
any interest are still doing it online.”
Students’ Engagement or Lack Thereof
It was difficult to determine whether students were engaged behaviorally, affec-

tively, or cognitively because the teachers’ responses only indicated enjoyment.
Out of the three types of engagement, it would appear that behavioral was the most
repeated form of engagement and no references were made to the cognitive aspect
of engagement. Grenadian Participant 4 lamented, “I am not really engaging them
I am simply keeping them occupied.” Grenadian Participant 14 also underscored
the lack of devices as being critical to student engagement and learning “the lack
of devices and poor connections often limit the interactions.”
Behavioral
Students display behavioral engagement by participating in class, asking and

answering questions (Fredricks et al. (2004). In the following examples, teachers
described their students as enjoying their classes, which are interactive. Grenadian
Participant 19 stated, “Students enjoy being on their devices because it is interac-
tive, colorful and exciting.” She did not explain what interaction entails. Grenadian
Participant 24 stated, “It is evident that students of the early childhood levels are
motivated and eager to submit assignments because of the creative ways lessons
are presented by their teachers.” However, this participant did not mention how this
was done. A face-to-face interview would have facilitated further probes.
Grenadian Participant 43 stated, “Some students do enjoy the online learning
environment. Some, I believe enjoy manipulating the gadgets.” Trinidadian
Participant 15 explained, “I do believe to the best of my ability in using the online
forums that I am engaging my students to the degree that I am allowed to given the
numerous constraints.” Trinidadian Participant 17 stated, “Yes, they enjoy coming
online to their class and are always eager for their Google Meet sessions.”
Trinidadian Participant 27 stated, “They enjoy the activities in short videos for-
mat.” Trinidadian Participant 30 stated, “It’s new, so some of them are interested.”
Grenadian Participant 17 stated, “Yes I am, I’ve been utilizing polls to interact with
them and they’ve been submitting work and messaging me privately.” Grenadian
Participant 23 stated, “I am engaging some students. They respond well to the les-
sons.” These participants’ responses indicated that they are implementing different
technologies with their students and allowing them to enjoy the process. Participants
could have given more information to elucidate the specific ways in which students
are engaged.
16 C. Bissessar
Affective
There was not enough information given to suggest specific ways in which partici-
pants fostered affective engagement. Trinidadian Participant 37 explained,
“Introverted students appreciate online learning. Extrovert students miss the class-
room interaction.” Grenadian Participant 27 stated, “It depends on the type of child
and their learning style. Some love it as they like working with technology, others
not so much. They want that social environment.” This is true of the younger stu-
dents who need the socialization process and miss it.
Discussions
Generally, there was a marked fluctuation in attendance for all students as reported
by the Trinidadian and Grenadian participants. The participants reported that stu-
dents’ attendance was poor due to lack of Internet access, no devices, shared
devices, having to take care of their younger siblings, and paucity of a quiet work-
ing space. McKenzie (2021) reported that over 46,000 Trinidadian students had
never logged on to online resources. Moreover, Chambers et al. (2020), De Witt
(2020), and Kajeet (2020) reported similar impediments to ERT in the United
States. Another prevailing issue was the issue of shared resource. Shared resource
resulted in lack of attendance where there was competition for the one device in the
home. The digital divide has been a perennial issue since the inception of technol-
ogy and has been afforded further prominence during the pandemic since reliance
on basic everyday activities requires the click of a mouse and the touch of a key.
Mangrum (2020), Barna (2020), Stelitano et al. (2020), Thompson (2020), and
Vogels et al. (2020) emphasized the digital canyon that, at present, exists between
the haves and have-nots due to scarcity of Internet access and lack of access to a
device. What is more striking is the fact that the Trinidadian participants whose
students do not have access to Internet and devices teach in what is considered
rural areas. Although no definite statement could be made as to whether these areas
contain lower-income households than the urban areas, there is definitely a dispar-
ity between accessibility to Internet and devices between urban and rural Trinidad.
Thompson (2020), Mangrum (2020), Barna (2020), and Chambers et al. (2020)
made similar conclusions between high- and low-income households. Participants
mentioned that the lack of a quiet working space resulted in disruptions during
synchronous sessions, which results in poor attendance according to De Witt
(2020). Furthermore, the OPHI (2011) for Trinidad found that the Multidimensional
Poverty Index for North Central and South West Trinidad were 0.020 and 0.016,
respectively.
Grenadian participant mentioned the issue of too much or too little parental
involvement. Some parents did not bother to find out what assignments their stu-
dents had, while others did the assignments for them. Further probes could have
revealed whether or not parents were overwhelmed by the entire ERT. Interestingly,
the parents in the studies by Bhamani et al. (2020) and Garbe et al.’s (2020) com-
plained about being overwhelmed and struggling to cope with learner demotivation
and the onerous and concomitant responsibilities of supervising their children.
Additionally, polls conducted in Trinidad did indicate that there are issues in
teacher accessibility to reliable Internet connections (McKenzie, 2021). In this
study, Trinidadian teachers in rural areas complained that they did not have
access to Internet and a device, which means that they were not able to engage
their students completely in ERT. This is similar to the findings of the RAND
study, which indicated that teachers in low-income areas have issues with con-
nectivity and access to a device (Stelitano et al., 2020). In this case, it cannot be
confirmed that the area contained low-income households. However, it must be
noted that the area is considered rural Trinidad, and the Multidimensional
Poverty Index (MPI) for South West and North Central Trinidad is 0.020 and
0.016, respectively (OPHI, 2011).
All of the aforementioned challenges and barriers culminated in students’
demotivation. The participants indicated that connectivity issues, lack of a device,
issues finding a quiet space, and the need for digital literacy led to demotivation
and disengagement among students (Daley, 2020; Gillis, 2020; Li & Lalani, 2020).
Moreover, participants noted that the students who were motivated, attentive, and
eager during the face-to-face sessions were the ones motivated, eager, and attentive
in the pandemic learning mode/ERL.
According to the participants, students were engaged. However, these partici-
pants did not specifically indicate how they were engaged. It would have been
helpful to have given additional probes to determine whether students displayed
behavioral, affective, or cognitive engagement. From the responses, students dis-
played some form of behavioral and affective engagement but no cognitive engage-
ment could be discerned.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Emergency remote teaching and pandemic learning modes/pandemic pedagogy/

ERL are the present face of education at all levels until the pandemic is controlled.
With this continued emphasis on ERT, there is a need to find ways to meet the
unreachable and to motivate the demotivated so that the digital canyon will not
widen and start to contract and no child or teacher will be left behind. This study
set out to determine Trinidadian and Grenadian teachers’ perceptions of their stu-
dents’ attendance, motivation, and engagement. Conclusions were discussed; how-
ever, more questions were raised as to the types of student engagement, the level
and types of parental involvement, and issues in teacher accessibility to Internet
and a device, not only issues in teacher access but also issues in access between
rural and urban Trinidad.
18 C. Bissessar
The author discussed recommendations from other researchers as to the ways in

which organizations, committees, and key stakeholders are attempting to fill the
digital divide. However, input is needed from educators, policy makers, and other
persons in authority to address the obvious deficits in all aspects of emergency
remote teaching and pandemic modes of learning/ERL/pandemic pedagogy. More
studies are needed to illuminate the challenges teachers and students face and to
understand how these could be eliminated. As the issue of ERT and pandemic
modes of learning/ERL/pandemic pedagogy continue to be part of the new normal
and the ever evolving vocabulary, the impetus should be on investing in the digital
and human capital so that no teacher, student, leader, community, and country is
left behind.
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COVID-19 and Emergency Education
Strategies in University of Ghana:
Students’ Knowledge of Emergency
Remote Learning
John Sedofia and Ernest Ampadu
Introduction
The coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19 pandemic, is a viral disease

caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (World
Health Organization (WHO) (2020). The outbreak was first identified in the Chinese
city of Wuhan in December 2019 (Huang et al., 2020) and continues to wreak havoc
on every sector of the world’s economy (Nicola et al., 2020), including the educa-
tion sector (Murphy, 2020; Mohmmed et al., 2020). In the education sector, for
example, the pandemic has forced schools to close indefinitely, raising concerns
that the effect on education would be dire and last for several years to come.
UNESCO (2020) estimated that some one billion learners in schools, from pre-
school to tertiary levels across the globe, have been negatively affected by the clo-
sure of schools occasioned by the COVID-19 outbreak. As the pandemic rages on
and most schools in the world remain closed, there are calls for more innovative
ways of teaching and learning and emergency education strategies. In response to
these calls, many educational institutions cancelled all their face-to-face classes,
including laboratory and other learning experiences, and have mandated faculty to
move their teaching online (Hodges et al., 2020).
J. Sedofia ()
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
e-mail: jsedofia@ug.edu.gh
E. Ampadu
Department of Learning Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, NA, Sweden
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 21

Switzerland AG 2021
C. Bissessar (ed.), Emergency Remote Learning, Teaching and Leading:
Global Perspectives, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76591-0_2
22 J. Sedofia and E. Ampadu
Background to the Study
Emergency education is education in situations where learners’ access to education

is disrupted because of man-made crises or natural disasters. In times of emergen-
cies, children lose their loved ones and homes; access to safe drinking water, quality
health care and food; and without access to education, they risk losing their futures
(UNICEF, 2020). The right to education must not be lost to emergencies. This is
because, ‘Education in emergencies is not only a basic human right but also an
essential tool of protection’ (UNHCR, 2007, p. 415). Moreover, education promotes
economic growth, increases individuals’ ability to lead a healthy life and reduces
poverty and inequality (UNICEF, 2020).
One of the challenges faced by most educational authorities during the COVID-19
pandemic has to do with how to keep students learning in this new normal.
Accordingly, as an emergency response, classes that were hitherto held in a face-to-
face mode had to be shifted online with the assistance of digital technology tools
and educational websites (Mohmmed et al., 2020). This shift brought in its wake the
need to engage in emergency remote teaching (ERT), which Hodges et al. (2020)
defined as a sudden stopgap measure of shifting instructional delivery to an online
delivery mode because of an immense catastrophe. Hodges et al. argued that online
learning is different from courses that are offered online in response to an emer-
gency. ERT involves exploitation of the available remote teaching tools for deliver-
ing the curriculum that under normal circumstances would have been delivered in a
face-to-face or blended mode (Mohmmed et al., 2020).
Although ‘the COVID-19 response is not the first time that emergency eLearning
programmes have been considered as appropriate crisis-response measures’
(Murphy, 2020, p. 496), it is important to take a critical look at emergency educa-
tional strategies during a pandemic that is believed to be caused by a novel virus
and, at a time, that technology has seen advancement. This is because, in spite of
technological advancement, the digital divide is still an issue in most developing
countries including Ghana. Thus, developing emergency educational strategies in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic will contribute significantly to reducing learn-
ing loss in our educational institutions. Al-Samarraie and Saeed (2018) projected
that online education would become mainstream by the year 2025. However, it is
obvious that that projection has been hastened five clear years by the coronavirus
pandemic.
The shift towards a more comprehensive use of online teaching and learning
tools like Zoom, Sakai and Google Teams within the educational sector, for instance,
has been met with excitement and uncertainty at the same time. As the pandemic
wars on, many governments and schools around the world continue to experiment
with innovative ideas and strategies that will help sustain their educational systems
(Govindarajan & Srivastava, 2020). The single most common innovative strategy
adopted in education during the pandemic is the shift of teaching and learning from
face-to-face to the online mode particularly in educational institutions where teach-
ing and learning were conducted in the traditional face-to-face mode.
COVID-19 and Emergency Education Strategies in University of Ghana: Students… 23
Virtual learning protects individual health and community safety, saves travel
time, exposes students to new forms of learning, helps keep up with the original
plan of the semester, gives learners extra time for self-study and provides easy
access to online resources (Dung, 2020). Furthermore, virtual learning offers the
convenience of time and space, has the capability of reaching a greater student pop-
ulation and draws the attention of a new group of digital learners (Barr & Miller,
2013). However, Murphy (2020) warned that removing face-to-face education from
the realm of normal discourse would be a costly action to take.
Although there is a plethora of research on the use of digital technologies in
teaching and learning, most of these studies have taken place outside the Ghanaian
context (Akande et al., 2020; Hofmeister & Pilz, 2020; Mahmood et al., 2020).
Even the studies that were conducted within the Ghanaian context had different
foci. Darko-Adjei (2019), for example, examined the use and effects of the smart-
phone as a learning tool in distance education at the University of Ghana and found
that the distance-learning students found it easy to use a smartphone in their aca-
demic activities and that enhanced their perceived usefulness of using a smartphone
for learning activities. Gyamfi and Gyaase (2017) also assessed the effect of inte-
grating ICT to teaching and learning in Universities on students’ performance. The
results showed a marked improvement in the students’ performance. See also (Djan,
& George, 2016; Fianu et al., 2020; Freeman et al., 2019; Larbi-Apau et al., 2018).
Prior to COVID-19, the mode of delivery of teaching and learning in the
University of Ghana was primarily face-to-face. Like many other institutions of
higher learning in the world, the once conventional university was compelled by the
COVID-19 pandemic to migrate its teaching and learning activities to the online
mode. The literature reveals that research on the coronavirus pandemic, its effects
on education and strategies to deal with it abound in the international settings
(Huang et al., 2020; Mohmmed et al., 2020; Murphy, 2020). However, studies that
focus on COVID-19 and emergency education strategies within the Ghanaian con-
text seem to be non-existent. This situation has led to a gap in our knowledge about
the emergency remote learning tools that are available and students’ knowledge of
such tools in the University of Ghana. To fill this knowledge gap, this study investi-
gated the level of knowledge of University of Ghana students about emergency
remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to determine the
online teaching tools available in the University of Ghana and the level of knowl-
edge of students about emergency remote learning. To achieve this aim, the follow-
ing research questions were posed.
1. What emergency remote teaching and learning tools are available at the
University of Ghana?
2. What is the level of knowledge of students about emergency remote learning?
3. What is the relationship between gender, knowledge and usage of emergency
remote learning?
It is hoped that findings from this study might bring to the fore students’ level of
knowledge about emergency remote learning tools. This would be useful in
planning to meet the needs of every student and potentially lead to the achievement
of the global and local goals on quality education as enshrined in the Sustainable
Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).
Theoretical Framework and Empirical Studies
Conceptual Exploration
Online learning is the modern application of the distance learning/correspondence

course model where a virtual learning environment is utilised to share recorded
lectures and student resources (University of Essex, 2016). In online learning,
teaching, learning, assignments and tests are all carried out on the Internet or
through virtual means (Pop, 2020). Some researchers use online learning and
e-learning interchangeably (Maseleno et al., 2018). In blended learning, learning is
done both online and in physical classrooms. Blended learning is the combination
of learning at a distance and learning that takes place on campus, in a classroom
(Pop, 2020).
The origins of e-learning can be traced to the mid-1990s (Garrison, 2011).
E-learning refers to the interaction that takes place between a student and a teacher
online (Pop, 2020). The application of e-learning includes a computer-based learn-
ing as well as Web-based learning (Basak et al., 2018), and the contents can be
transferred via Internet, intranet, video/audio tapes, CD-ROM, DVD and TV chan-
nels (Mohanna, 2015). Mobile learning is the use of handheld information technol-
ogy devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones and laptops
in teaching and learning (Basak et al., 2018). It involves the use of a mobile device
to teach (Crompton & Burke, 2018).
Emergency remote teaching (ERT) (Hodges et al., 2020), emergency remote
learning (ERL) (Rahiem, 2020) or pandemic pedagogy (Hughes et al., 2020;
Milman, 2020) is a form of education in which instructional delivery is temporarily
moved from the face-to-face mode to a remote mode, because of a crisis or emer-
gency. The primary objective is to provide continued teaching and learning in order
to prevent learning loss due to an unforeseen circumstance. Experts insist that emer-
gency remote teaching or learning is different from online learning because the
former is only a stopgap or temporal measure aimed at mitigating the interruptions
that emergencies might bring into the educational delivery process. The introduc-
tion of emergency remote learning and teaching during the coronavirus pandemic
has become the new normal for most educational institutions. Different emergency
remote learning strategies have been adopted by many educational authorities, and
in Ghana, the use of both online teaching modes and other mediums such as radio
and TV lessons have been instituted to help reduce the effect of the pandemic on
student learning and academic achievements.
Personalised learning involves tailoring and pacing teaching to meet the needs
and learning preferences of different learners so as to connect to the learners’ inter-
ests and experiences and meet the needs, abilities and interests of every student
through shaping curriculum and learning activities to the individual (Bartle, 2015).
Personalised learning aims at creating an educational system that responds directly
to the diverse needs of every individual rather than merely imposing a ‘one size fits
all’ model on students (Bates, 2014; Williams, 2013). ‘The “one size fits all”
approach no longer works in education’ (Jasute et al., 2016, p. 1078). The new nor-
mal has provided educators and learners with the opportunity to adjust their teach-
ing and learning to fit the varied conditions and diversity in our societies. In places
where access to Internet and other online learning tools is problematic, students are
introduced to other forms of learning such as lessons on radio and TV.
Online Teaching and Learning Tools
There is a growing belief that digital technologies offer a more effective means of
operating in higher education than the traditional university setup with its fixed
buildings and estates, costly face-to-face procedures and arcane conventions of aca-
demic time, space, place and status (Selwyn, 2014). This belief may be responsible,
at least in part, for the increased reliance on digital technologies in higher educa-
tional institutions. As the world of technology continues to see key advancements,
the virtual learning space has welcomed newer and more effective tools for teaching
and learning. The role of technology in education has thus become a key component
in the instructional curricula of many institutions offering programmes in education
(Allen & Seaman, 2006 as cited in Barr & Miller, 2013; Benta et al., 2014). A study
by Baran et al. (2011) revealed that there is a gradual change in the roles of teachers
and the nature of the teaching process because of ongoing trends in online educa-
tion. The study which focused on the competencies of online teachers sought to
provide a comprehensive outline of online teaching tools, approaches and method-
ologies, as captured in the literature.
Elsewhere, Son (2011) explored the need for a much wider awareness creation
on potential online teaching and learning tools, especially within the writer’s study
scope: online tools for language teaching. Some key online teaching tools or plat-
forms outlined by the researcher within categorised groups include Learning/con-
tent management systems (Blackboard, Drupal, Sakai, Joomla, and Moodle),
Communication tools (yahoo messenger, Skype, TokBox, Windows Live
Messenger), Live and virtual worlds (Elluminate, Livestream, OpenSimulator,
ActiveWorlds) and so on. Newer online tools and frameworks for teaching and
learning have been examined in several other studies. With the current trends of
social media platforms like WhatsApp, YouTube and Facebook which provide the
options of ‘going live’ with a discussion and having others join in ‘real time’, the
place of social media in online education is further taking shape (Dlamiri, 2017;
Fee, 2013;). Akande et al. (2020) revealed that Facebook Live, Google Classroom,
Web-based learning platforms, Zoom and Microsoft’s Team are the topmost emerg-
ing technologies with which respondents were familiar, while the topmost social
media platforms with which they were familiar are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat and YouTube. Earlier, Iqbal and Rehman (2016)
explored the views of students about Facebook as an instructional tool in Lahore
College for Women University (LCWU) and University of the Punjab (PU). The
results showed that Facebook was an important online learning tool which is flexi-
ble in use and not time specific.
In another study to assess the pros and cons of using media applications like
Zoom and Skype for teaching, Dharma et al. (2017) underscored the key roles these
technological tools continue to play by providing options that allow teachers and
students to engage in e-learning, in a similar fashion as the off-line learning sys-
tems. With integrated options such as the screen-sharing capabilities in Skype and
Zoom, the use of presentations (PowerPoint) is easily enabled for effective teaching
and learning. The onslaught of the current COVID-19 pandemic has, however,
caused an exponential use of the Zoom application in particular, not only within the
education sector but also across all other sectors of life and work (Clopper et al.,
2020). Abidin and Saputro (2020) explored students' experiences in using Google
Classroom as a mathematics learning space. The study revealed that Google
Classroom has good potential to support students’ learning as students could access
the learning resources provided by the teacher at anytime and anywhere. During the
COVID-19 lockdown and school closures, Google Classroom became one of the
popular digital tools for online teaching and learning because of the flexibility and
relative convenience it offers. It provides a virtual alternative to the traditional
classroom.
Learning management systems (LMSs) are among the technological tools used
in teaching and learning online. According to Srichanyachon (2014), a learning
management system is a Web-based software application, which is designed and
used to manage teaching and learning (content, student interaction, assessment,
reports of learning progress and student activities). LMSs allow teachers and stu-
dents to upload or download content, resources and assessment. There is an incon-
trovertibly endless list of LMSs. The popular ones include Moodle, Sakai, ATutor,
Claroline, MyGuru2, MyLMS, Blackboard, SuccessFactors, SumTotal, Litmos,
Angle learning, Geo learning, Cornerstone, Connect Edu, SAKAY, Digital Chalk,
Docebo, SaaS LMS, TalentLMS, Firmwater LMS and Design2Leran (Chaubey &
Bhattacharya, 2015; Kasim & Khalid, 2016). The role of LMSs in higher education
cannot be underestimated. In a study to investigate the perceptions and use of the
Sakai LMS among distance learning students of the University of Ghana, Darko-
Adjei (2018) revealed that though there was a universal awareness of the Sakai LMS
by the students, most of them said that they did not have the intention to use the
Sakai LMS due to some perceived challenges.
Students’ Knowledge About Online Teaching and Learning
Although the use of e-learning systems and tools is not a new phenomenon, it
appears that the knowledge levels of many teachers and students remain low with
respect to effectively engaging online learning frameworks. The obvious unfamil-
iarity of most students with online learning tools has been observed and associated
with the key challenges (i.e. poor technical knowledge, low computer literacy,
adaptability struggles) most of them face in trying to maximise the benefits of these
virtual platforms (Kumar, 2015).
For example, Narh et al. (2019) found that poor computer skills, weak knowl-
edge of Internet handles and the lack of effective time management skills were fac-
tors that constrained students’ efficient use of e-learning platforms. Their study
revealed that 70% (28) of the respondents sampled identified poor computer skills
as a factor that inhibited their efficient use of e-learning platforms and systems.
Sixty-five per cent (26) and 77.5% (31), respectively, of the respondents also identi-
fied weak knowledge of Internet handles and poor time management as a factor that
hampered their efficient use of virtual learning platforms. This suggests a limited
knowledge capacity of a good number of students concerning how to properly use
virtual platforms like Sakai (a key virtual platform adopted by the University of
Ghana, for instance) and other available platforms.
In contrast to the findings of Narh et al. (2019), however, Popovici and Mironou
(2014) suggest that students are generally open to innovations within the e-learning
space, as many more are ‘digital natives and use technology as an integral part of
their everyday lives’ (p. 1518). The study which sought to explore students’ percep-
tions of using eLearning technologies, further revealed that 98.11% of the 115 par-
ticipants considered that they have ‘a medium and advanced expertise in using a
computer or laptop’, while 96.52% declared the same level of expertise for Internet
usage (search engines, e-mail, etc.).
Gulatee et al. (2018) also carried out a study on students’ ownership of technol-
ogy devices, their access to software and Web-based utilities and their related pref-
erences. It included the devices that instructors use in the classroom, how students
use online learning systems provided by the university and students’ skill levels
when using technology for learning. The aim was to provide a long-term compara-
tive analysis across a Thai University to determine if students’ and lecturers’ use of
technology for teaching and learning had changed. The findings indicate that
although students used mobile devices (phones and tablets) to access online learn-
ing materials, overall, most students and staff lacked basic knowledge in using
information technology for study purposes. In a different study, Hamzah et al.
(2019) surveyed 247 users of MOOC from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in
order to measure students’ level of knowledge on the importance of the use of
MOOC and its application in teaching and learning. The results showed that the
level of knowledge, usage, acceptance and effectiveness was high among the
students.
Methods
Based on the purpose of the study, the descriptive survey research design was cho-
sen to investigate University of Ghana students’ knowledge of online teaching and
learning during the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year when the
University was forced to close down and move to emergency remote teaching and
learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, the design was
chosen to find answers to the research questions guiding the study.
The target population was all University of Ghana students. For the selection of
our sample, the survey instrument which was designed by the researchers via
Google doc forms was circulated to the various students’ platforms, and a total of
265 undergraduate and postgraduate students, 142 (53.6%) females and 123 (46.4%)
males, with a majority of the respondents 210 (79.2%) between the ages of 20–25
years completed it. The survey instrument consisted of three parts. The first part
contained three items and was used to elicit students’ background information. The
second section had 15 items and was used to gather information about the different
online teaching tools available at the University of Ghana. The third and final part
consisted of 20 items, and these questions elicited students’ views about their
knowledge and usage of online learning and teaching tools.
The data collection process started when the University gave an official commu-
nique that the rest of the semester was to be conducted online using various online
platforms but more specifically, the Sakai learning management system and Zoom.
As highlighted earlier, a 38-item questionnaire was circulated to the various stu-
dents’ platforms for completion. After scrutinising the data for correctness and
completeness, they were entered into SPSS version 21.0 and analysed using both
descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and inferential (T-test) statistics. The
Cronbach Alpha reliability estimate of the instrument was 0.71. Two main ethical
considerations of anonymity and confidentiality were adhered to throughout the
research process.
Results
Q1: Online Teaching Tools Available at the University

R
of Ghana
To answer this question, the participants were asked to indicate the level of the
availability of 15 online teaching tools in the University of Ghana and the results is
depicted in Table 1.
From Table 1, various online learning tools are available and used for teaching
and learning during the period that the University was closed, and all lessons were
conducted via virtual mode. Analysis of the results from Table 1 shows that four
main learning tools were available and used during this period (i.e. Sakai LMS,
Table 1 Availability of Online Teaching Tools

Online learning tool NA NAw SA AA Mean SD
Sakai LMS 1.10 1.10 46 51.7 3.48 0.584
Kahoot 11.7 81.9 5.3 1.10 1.96 0.463
Zoom 3.0 5.70 55.1 36.2 3.25 1.694
Facebook – 61.5 15.4 23.4 2.62 0.841
Twitter 23.8 44.2 11.3 20.8 2.29 1.049
Telegram 17.0 31.3 20.8 30.9 2.66 1.090
WhatsApp 7.20 – 21.9 70.9 3.65 0.698
Blackboard 26.0 61.1 4.50 8.30 1.95 0.799
Adobe Captive Prime 16.2 78.5 3.00 2.30 1.91 0.526
Moodle 19.2 80.8 – – 1.81 0.395
Digital Chalk – 95.1 2.30 2.60 2.08 0.351
Schoology 15.5 77.7 3.40 3.40 1.97 0.568
Google Classroom 17.7 33.2 30.6 18.5 2.5 0.989
Khan Academy 19.6 68.3 5.30 6.80 1.99 0.723
Talent LMS 18.2 75.8 3.00 3.00 1.91 0.570
NA Not available, NAw Not aware of it, SA Sometimes available, AA Always available
Zoom, Telegram and WhatsApp). Sakai was the most available and commonly used
learning tool with an overwhelming majority (97.7%) of the respondents indicating
that it was either sometimes or always available for teaching and learning. This was
followed by Zoom, with about 91.3% of the respondents indicating that it was either
always or sometimes available. This may be because the two tools were the official
tools recommended by the University during the virtual learning period. In addition,
an overwhelming majority (92.8%) of the respondents indicated that the WhatsApp
learning tool was either always or sometimes available for learning. The possible
reason for this may be the user-friendly nature of this tool or the accessibility of this
learning tool. The analysis of the results suggests that the majority of these students
are not familiar with the numerous online tools for learning. This can therefore be
considered a great concern in our quest for becoming competitive in this era of
technology and the presence of the pandemic, where all students are expected to use
varied online learning tools to learn and develop an understanding of the concepts
learnt. It is therefore imperative to introduce these students to the use of more online
tools to help them to be able to compete at both the national and international levels.
Q 2: Students’ Knowledge and Usage of Online Learning Tools

R
and Platforms
To find answers to this research question, the respondents were asked to indicate the
extent to which they agree or disagree with 20 items. These items were further cat-
egorised into four main themes (access to a smartphone or computer, knowledge of
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se servaient en guise de souliers qui leur donnaient cette apparence
bizarre. Les navigateurs qui vinrent après lui en firent des récits non
seulement exagérés, mais fréquemment contradictoires.
Les Patagons qui occupent cette partie du pays, la plus
méridionale du monde habité, appartiennent à la race des Indiens
Tehuelches. Ils ont quelques coutumes étranges, dont l’une des plus
originales est l’extrême importance qu’ils accordent à la manière
d’ensevelir leurs morts. Ils croient nécessaire que le corps du défunt
soit placé exactement dans la même position qu’il occupait… avant
sa naissance, et s’ils craignent que la rigidité cadavérique ne
s’empare trop rapidement du sujet, ils n’hésitent pas à commencer
l’ensevelissement avant qu’il ait rendu le dernier soupir. On plie avec
soin le moribond, de manière que son menton touche à ses genoux
et qu’il occupe le moindre espace possible ; c’est là le principal ;
ensuite on le coud bien serré dans un cuir frais, qui doit se resserrer
davantage en se desséchant, et on le dépose dans le sable, à une
très faible profondeur, avec ses armes et quelques aliments.
Je n’ai pu avoir aucun renseignement positif sur la religion des
Patagons, et il y a apparence qu’ils n’en professent aucune, malgré
l’idée du grand voyage indiquée par le soin de placer de la nourriture
à la portée du mort. Quelques voyageurs prétendent cependant
qu’ils adorent le soleil, contrairement aux indigènes de la Terre-de-
Feu, qui adoraient la lune.
Le chiffre des Indiens Patagons répandus sur tout le territoire
n’est pas exactement connu. A Punta-Arenas, on estime qu’il n’y en
a pas plus de quatre ou cinq mille en tout. Ce qui paraît à peu près
certain, c’est que les Patagons ainsi que les Indiens Pampas, et très
probablement les Araucans, sont destinés à disparaître et non à se
fondre dans les races nouvelles qui peuplent le continent sud-
américain.
Le Chili a fait de Punta-Arenas un pénitencier, tenu assez
sévèrement et gardé par un navire de guerre, depuis qu’une révolte
des convicts, suivie d’un pillage en règle de la petite ville, a invité le
gouvernement à prendre des mesures de précaution sérieuses. La
population de cette pauvre colonie est de douze cents âmes environ
et, malgré les louables efforts du gouvernement chilien, il est
douteux qu’elle puisse jamais prendre un développement de quelque
importance. D’ailleurs, le percement de l’isthme de Panama, qui
aura lieu tôt ou tard, détruira bien vite tous les établissements qui
pourront exister dans le détroit et rendra pour jamais ces mornes
rivages à l’éternelle solitude.
Notre rentrée à bord fut une véritable odyssée. Comme on devait
appareiller le lendemain matin à quatre heures et que l’équipage
était fatigué, il avait été convenu que la Junon n’enverrait pas
d’embarcation pour prendre les retardataires. Sauf les deux veilleurs
de quart, tout notre monde dormait donc profondément dans son
hamac ou dans sa couchette, lorsque nous nous présentâmes sur le
petit môle décrépit. Nous cherchons le canot que le capitaine du port
avait mis, tout à l’heure, si obligeamment à nos ordres. Point de
canot. Il fait un froid de loup ; une bise glaciale qui vient de caresser
les cimes neigeuses de la Terre-de-Feu souffle à nos oreilles ; la
perspective d’une nuit de faction sur cette plage n’a rien de
réjouissant. Nous commençons par donner au diable les Chiliens, la
colonie, les Patagons, Magellan et la Junon elle-même, ce qui nous
réchauffe un peu ; puis, revenant à des sentiments plus pratiques,
nous lançons dans l’espace des appels à toute volée.
Au bout de quelques minutes, nous voyons un fanal qui s’en va
de l’avant à l’arrière. L’espoir renaît dans nos cœurs ; nous
redoublons nos hurlements désespérés…; le fanal s’arrête et
descend dans une embarcation qui vient à nous, vigoureusement
nagée. Hourra pour les braves marins ! Non, trois fois, cent fois
hourra ! car ce sont quatre de nos camarades qui, n’ayant pas pris
sur eux de faire réveiller le commandant pour demander qu’il donne
l’ordre de nous envoyer une embarcation, ont obtenu de l’officier de
quart la permission de venir nous chercher eux-mêmes.
Nous embarquons après avoir déposé dans le fond du canot
deux marins restés « à la traîne », qu’un ancien de l’expédition
Pertuiset, devenu cabaretier, a impitoyablement grisés. A minuit et
demi, gelés, transis et trempés, nous gravissions l’échelle de
coupée,
« Jurant, mais un peu tard, »
qu’on ne nous prendrait plus à compter sur les promesses

espagnoles, faites de bonne foi, sans doute, mais oubliées de
même.
Le lendemain, avant le jour, le cliquetis sonore du guindeau à

vapeur nous avertissait que la Junon reprenait sa route. La curiosité
l’emportant sur le besoin de sommeil, nous voilà tous bientôt sur le
pont, emmitouflés, encapuchonnés comme des Groenlandais. La
précaution n’était pas inutile, car pendant la nuit le temps était
devenu sombre et très froid. De gros nuages roulent dans toute
l’étendue du ciel et donnent une teinte noire aux eaux glacées du
détroit. Nous descendons très rapidement le long de la côte de la
presqu’île de Brunswick, à une distance de quelques centaines de
mètres. Une petite baie s’ouvre à trente milles au sud de Punta-
Arenas ; elle est connue sous le nom de Port-Famine. C’est là que le
célèbre navigateur espagnol Sarmiento s’établit, en 1581, avec
quatre cents émigrants. Six ans après, la colonie avait cessé
d’exister ; presque tous étaient morts de faim. Sur les ruines de Port-
Famine, les capitaines anglais King et Fitz-Roy, auxquels on doit les
premiers travaux hydrographiques sérieux du détroit, avaient établi
leur observatoire.
Le paysage a complètement changé. A mesure que nous
avançons, les côtes s’élèvent de plus en plus ; celle de la Terre-de-
Feu, que nous avons à notre gauche, présente l’aspect d’un
immense massif de montagnes à demi noyé dans un déluge qui
menace de l’engloutir ; la mer, pénétrant dans les gorges, les cols,
les crevasses, découpe une quantité de canaux, de presqu’îles,
d’îles et de golfes. Plus de falaises basses, plus de plages ; tout est
confondu dans un chaos de pics aigus, de collines éventrées, de
promontoires déchiquetés, s’entassant les uns sur les autres, et tous
les sommets un peu élevés sont couronnés d’une nappe de neige
éblouissante et immaculée.
Nous avons, en suivant la côte, incliné notre route du sud vers
l’ouest ; le passage devient plus étroit.
A huit heures du matin, nous avons devant nous, et tout près, un
énorme rocher, dont le flanc tombe à pic dans la mer d’une hauteur
de plus de trois cents mètres. C’est le cap Froward, c’est l’extrémité
méridionale du continent américain [6] . Au même instant, un grain
d’une violence extrême fond sur nous, des rafales de grésil et de
neige nous fouettent brutalement au visage. Peu importe ! Nous
avons sous les yeux un si grandiose panorama que toutes les
tempêtes de l’océan austral ne nous feraient pas lâcher pied. Nous
restons cramponnés aux barres du gaillard d’avant, ne nous lassant
pas de regarder.
[6] Latitude : 53° 54′ sud.
Partout la couleur est sévère et la forme audacieuse. Le cap

Froward surgit du fond des eaux avec une incomparable majesté ;
ses flancs rudes, noirs et nus, ses proportions colossales, font
penser à l’un des rois géants des peuples préhistoriques. Autour de
lui, la nature a pris un aspect sauvage, presque terrible ; c’est un
enchevêtrement de montagnes aux versants abrupts, aux contours
bizarres, de vallées, de cratères, de précipices. Les tons sont durs,
les ombres sont noires ; l’œil a peine à suivre la perspective de ces
plans qui semblent se heurter plutôt que se succéder dans les
lointains. Là où les nuages laissent une trouée, la blancheur
éclatante des neiges se confond avec la blancheur du ciel, et les
profils des hauteurs prennent quelque chose de fantastique. Tout
cela forme comme un immense décor où le pinceau d’un homme de
génie aurait voulu représenter un paysage extra-terrestre ; cela ne
ressemble à rien de ce que nous avons vu, ni à rien de ce que nous
avons imaginé, et l’impression qui se dégage de cet ensemble, dont
les mots « imposant, magnifique, superbe » ne donnent aucune idée,
est la plus profonde que j’aie éprouvée en face des œuvres de la
nature.
Nous passons au milieu des rafales, qui soufflent par moments
avec une telle furie qu’elles menacent de déferler les voiles,
cependant soigneusement rabantées. Le point le plus sud de notre
voyage est franchi. Notre route est maintenant à l’ouest, et bientôt,
tout en suivant les sinuosités du détroit, elle s’infléchira vers le nord.
La végétation a commencé à se montrer. Ce ne sont pas
quelques bouquets de lichens rabougris, ou quelques arbrisseaux
clairsemés, mais de véritables forêts, touffues, impénétrables, de
hêtres antarctiques, qui escaladent les pentes rugueuses des ravins.
Cet arbre est, je crois, le seul qui se montre dans ces parages ; il est
peu élevé, le tronc est mince, court, droit et d’une couleur claire,
parfois aussi blanche que l’écorce du bouleau. Plus nous avançons
et plus le pays est boisé. Les côtes sont partout escarpées et, sur
notre gauche, du côté de la Terre-de-Feu, nous laissent entrevoir
dans leurs découpures compliquées des canaux de toute forme, de
toute grandeur se dirigeant vers le sud.
Vers midi, la Junon, poursuivant sa course à toute vitesse, atteint
les parties les plus resserrées du détroit ; c’est d’abord l’English
Reach, qui commence aux îles Charles, et ensuite le Crooked
Reach (canal crochu), dont l’entrée, barrée par l’énorme pic
Thornton, semble ne laisser aucun passage aux navires.
Le vent est toujours très inégal et par moments très fort ; mais
notre attention est trop retenue par les austères beautés du paysage
pour que nous songions à nous occuper des manœuvres. Nous
traversons ainsi une suite de grands lacs toujours bordés de
montagnes presque à pic, dépouillées d’arbres à la moitié de leur
hauteur et séparées par de profonds ravins. De tous côtés, nous
sommes enveloppés par un horizon d’autres montagnes beaucoup
plus élevées, couvertes de neige, souvent reliées entre elles par
d’immenses glaciers. A deux reprises différentes nous avons aperçu
de la fumée sur les rives de la Terre-de-Feu. Quelques silhouettes
noires se détachaient autour des foyers. Ce sont des campements
de Feugiens.
Tout à coup, une exclamation retentit : « Canot à l’avant ! » En
effet, à la distance d’un kilomètre, on aperçoit une pirogue
d’indigènes ; ils se tiennent au large et nous attendent évidemment
au passage, s’agitant beaucoup et poussant des cris auxquels, bien
entendu, nous ne comprenons absolument rien. On stoppe et on leur
lance une amarre ; mais la Junon ne s’arrête pas court comme un
cheval arabe ; la vitesse acquise et la force du courant nous
entraînent encore, le vent nous fait dériver sur la côte, qui n’est pas
bien loin. « Tribord toute ! Machine en avant ! » Les Feugiens lâchent
la corde et manquent de chavirer. Nous voilà repartis. Cependant,
j’ai eu le temps de les voir, et je puis vous assurer que j’ai vu des
sauvages, de vrais sauvages, aussi laids et aussi peu vêtus qu’on
peut le désirer. La pirogue, faite d’écorce, doublée de cuir, était
montée par quatre individus, dont deux femmes, tous entièrement
nus, sauf une peau jetée sur les épaules et couvrant pudiquement
une partie de leur dos. Ces pauvres êtres agitaient des fourrures, qui
m’ont paru être de la loutre et que, sans doute, ils voulaient
échanger avec nous. Il y avait encore dans la pirogue deux chiens,
dont l’un d’assez grande taille, au museau pointu. A l’avant, un feu
était allumé sur un lit de gravier. Tels sont les Indiens de la Terre-de-
Feu, nommés Pêcherais, parce qu’ils ne vivent guère que dans leurs
bateaux et qu’ils s’alimentent presque exclusivement du poisson
qu’ils prennent dans les baies et les passages du détroit.
Le ciel s’est un peu éclairci. Nous entrons dans le Long Reach.
Le vent a tourné sur notre droite et souffle grande brise de nord-
nord-est. Il est cinq heures au moment où nous entendons le
commandement traditionnel : « Chacun à son poste pour le
mouillage ! » — Où cela, le mouillage ? Nous sommes entre deux
murailles escarpées ; pas la moindre crique en vue. Le commandant
lorgne à notre gauche avec beaucoup d’attention ; je lorgne aussi,
mais je ne vois rien du tout. Soudain, la Junon lance de ce côté, se
dirigeant droit sur la terre, puis revient sur tribord et, décrivant un 8
dans la largeur du canal, en s’aidant des focs et de la grande voile
goélette, remet le cap plus obliquement sur cette même terre. A
mesure que nous approchons, il nous semble découvrir quelque
chose comme une fente entre les montagnes ; nous voici engagés
dans un étroit passage entre la haute terre et une ligne de petits
rochers qui, tout à l’heure, se confondaient avec la côte. Une roche à
fleur d’eau est devant nous ; on la contourne à quelques mètres et
nous nous trouvons tout au fond d’une colossale cuvette, au milieu
de laquelle nous laissons tomber l’ancre. Ici, point de rafales, pas
même de clapotis ; quelques rides à la surface d’une eau calme,
claire et profonde.
Nous sommes à l’abri pour la nuit, et comme il reste encore trois
quarts d’heure de soleil, nous sautons dans les canots pour aller à
terre pêcher des moules et tirer des canards.
L’endroit où nous avons pénétré si hardiment et si heureusement
se nomme la baie Swallow (hirondelle), du nom du navire que
montait le capitaine Carteret, lorsqu’il la découvrit. C’est, paraît-il, le
meilleur mouillage du détroit ; mais il faut bien prendre ses mesures
avant d’y entrer et regarder si quelque autre navire n’y est déjà, car il
y a bien juste la place pour un bâtiment de notre taille.
L’endroit où nous débarquons est assez étrange, mais n’a pas
cet aspect désolé qu’on pourrait supposer à une terre nommée
Terre-de-la-Désolation. Aucun être humain, il est vrai ; en revanche,
une végétation assez abondante, absolument vierge, où le hêtre
antarctique, que nous avons reconnu du bord, domine, entremêlé de
houx et de canneliers, tout cela réparti par petits bouquets et
disséminé au hasard. La terre, recouverte d’une accumulation de
végétaux parasites, est bossuée çà et là par de nombreux rochers
grisâtres. Nous enfonçons parfois jusqu’à mi-jambe dans un sol que
la fonte des neiges a presque partout détrempé ; sautant de pierre
en pierre, pour éviter ces crevasses marécageuses, nous atteignons
bientôt le pied des collines granitiques qui se dressent en
amphithéâtre tout autour de la petite baie.
L’ascension est commencée. Ma mémoire évoque, je ne sais
pourquoi, le souvenir du Corcovado, et, en regardant cette nature
austère qui m’environne, il me faut un effort de raison pour
comprendre comment, en si peu de temps, j’ai pu me trouver
transporté dans ce milieu si différent, si opposé, qui me semble
appartenir à un autre monde.
Quand nous avons gravi une centaine de mètres, notre regard
embrasse alors toute la baie. Par un heureux hasard, le temps,
assez sombre pendant la journée, s’est éclairci ; le ciel est très pur,
et le soleil, à son déclin, colore de reflets rose pâle les versants et
les glaciers des hautes montagnes de l’autre rive du détroit. Le vent,
qui ne s’est pas calmé, fait encore moutonner les eaux où nous
naviguions il y a une heure, mais ici, tout est d’un calme parfait.
Notre blanche Junon semble endormie au milieu de ce lac paisible ;
c’est à peine si le souffle d’une légère brise agite son pavillon, dont
la nymphe d’une cascade voisine ignore peut-être les couleurs.
Je n’ai pas voulu monter plus haut, et je ne suis redescendu
qu’en voyant mes compagnons, chargés d’oies et de canards (j’allais
ajouter sauvages), se diriger vers le point où les canots nous
attendaient. L’une de nos embarcations, dans laquelle les marins
avaient entassé plusieurs milliers de moules gigantesques, longues
comme la main, recueillies sur les roches de la côte, eut toutes les
peines du monde à démarrer.
Ce matin, à cinq heures, nous sortions sans encombre du havre
Swallow et nous dirigions vers la sortie du détroit. Bien que le temps
ne soit pas mauvais au large, le commandant, à notre grande joie,
s’est décidé à continuer sa route par les canaux latéraux des côtes
de la Patagonie. Quand nous en serons sortis (si nous en sortons),
je vous dirai mon impression sur ces parages presque inconnus,
visités, à de rares intervalles, par quelques navires de guerre, et
dont les beautés égalent, dit-on, si elles ne les surpassent, celles du
détroit de Magellan.
LES CANAUX LATÉRAUX DES COTES
DE LA PATAGONIE
Où sont les canaux latéraux ? — L’ancienne navigation. — Un canot de

sauvages. — La baie de l’Isthme. — Les Pêcherais à bord de la Junon. —
Mouillage et excursion à Puerto-Bueno. — Le lac d’Aunet. — Les glaces
flottantes. — Le havre Grappler. — Passage du Goulet anglais. — Sortie des
canaux.
En mer, 9 octobre.
Veni, vidi, vici. Nous sommes venus, nous avons vu et nous

avons vaincu… sans la moindre appréhension, les difficultés de
notre passage dans les canaux. J’exagère un peu, car la journée
d’hier a été assez rude ; mais ne commençons pas par la fin.
Ayez la bonté de prendre un atlas, ou de rassembler les
souvenirs de vos études géographiques, afin que je puisse vous
montrer ces fameux canaux, où je vous souhaite, si jamais vous y
passez, ce qui est peu probable, de faire une traversée aussi
heureuse et aussi agréable que la nôtre.
Vous voyez bien, tout en bas de la carte, à la pointe de
l’Amérique du Sud, le détroit de Magellan, qui sépare la Terre-de-
Feu, les îles de la Désolation et quelques autres archipels, tout
déchiquetés, du grand continent américain. Nous y sommes entrés
par l’est, c’est-à-dire par l’océan Atlantique, et rien n’était plus
simple, au sortir du Long Reach, le passage étant de plus en plus
large, que de continuer tout droit notre route au nord-ouest et
d’entrer dans l’océan Pacifique.
C’est ce que tout le monde fait, mais nous n’avons pas voulu
faire comme tout le monde. Regardez, s’il vous plaît, la côte
américaine à partir de la sortie du détroit et en remontant vers le
nord. Depuis le 53e degré de latitude jusqu’au 47e, sur une longueur
de cent cinquante lieues terrestres, vous voyez une multitude d’îles
et d’îlots de toute forme, de toute grandeur, pressés contre la côte :
c’est l’archipel de la Reine-Adélaïde, les îles de Hanovre, Chatham,
l’archipel de la Mère-de-Dieu, la grande île Wellington, entourée de
rochers plus ou moins étendus, avec une profusion de petits bras de
mer, de petites criques, de petits détroits à n’en plus finir… et tout
cela se subdivise en un nombre infini d’accidents géographiques, qui
lasseront encore pendant longtemps la patience des plus obstinés
géographes.
Le problème à résoudre est de s’engager là dedans par un bout
et de ressortir par l’autre. C’est un jeu, tout comme le baguenaudier
ou la célèbre question romaine ; seulement, comme les roches sont
aussi dures là que partout ailleurs, qu’il n’y a aucun établissement de
radoub, même en projet, qu’il ne passe à peu près personne dans ce
curieux labyrinthe et que les habitants en sont anthropophages, c’est
un jeu dont la mise est un peu chère : il est indispensable de n’y
point perdre.
Je me hâte de dire que le « secret » est connu. Les cartes sont
fort incomplètes, mais une ligne sinueuse, tracée au travers de ce
fouillis, indique la route à suivre. C’est au bateau à se « débrouiller »
(expression toute maritime), pour ne pas passer à droite quand il
faut passer à gauche, veiller la force des courants afin de ne point
dévier, ne jamais prendre un îlot, un golfe ou une pointe pour une
autre, calculer sa vitesse pour tourner quand il faut, pas trop tôt, pas
trop tard ; s’arranger de manière à atteindre une petite baie chaque
soir pour y passer la nuit, n’en pas manquer l’entrée et mouiller au
bon endroit. Ce n’est pas plus difficile que cela.
Moyennant quoi, si vous avez beau temps, ce qui est fort rare, je
vous garantis la plus heureuse et la plus intéressante des
traversées.
On se demande comment des navires à voiles ont pu, dans le
bon vieux temps, se hasarder à naviguer au milieu de tant de
dangers. Je pourrais vous dire, d’abord, que dans ce temps-là on
avait l’espoir de découvrir quelque chose ; on ne l’a plus guère à
notre époque, et puis, autant par habitude que par impuissance, on
ne vivait pas à la vapeur (je dis cela aussi au figuré) comme on le
fait aujourd’hui.
Vous nous avez vus franchir le détroit de Magellan en deux jours
et quelques heures, et nous aurions pu y mettre moins de temps, si
nous avions été dans la saison des longs jours. Voulez-vous savoir
ce qu’il fallait à nos pères pour accomplir le même trajet ? Voici des
chiffres :
Magellan, ou plus correctement Magalhaens, officier portugais,
passé au service de l’Espagne, avec cinq navires montés par 236
hommes, découvrit le détroit, et le franchit en 30 jours, Thomas
Cavendish, en 1587, mit 33 jours, le commodore Byron, en 1764, mit
51 jours, Carteret, sur le Swallow, qui cependant avait fait partie de
l’expédition de Byron, passa 84 jours dans le détroit, et l’illustre
Bougainville, avec les frégates la Boudeuse et l’Étoile, en 1767,
contrarié par les vents contraires, fit sa traversée en 52 jours, dont
40 furent employés à parcourir une distance de 180 milles ou 60
lieues, représentant la moitié du chemin.
On cite, comme une exception tout à fait remarquable, le voyage
de la frégate anglaise Fishguard, qui passa sous voiles de l’est à
l’ouest en 17 jours.
Voilà comme naviguaient nos aïeux, et au prix de quelle patience
ils ont acquis la gloire de nous montrer la route dans ces parages
que nous prenons à peine le temps de regarder.
Aujourd’hui, les navires à voiles ne passent plus jamais par le
détroit, et la traversée de l’est à l’ouest est considérée pour eux
comme impraticable. Au contraire, un navire à vapeur, quoique à
peu près certain de recevoir au moins un coup de vent, s’il est solide
et bien dirigé, passera en deux, trois ou quatre jours, quand même,
et presque sans ralentir sa vitesse, ce que nous avons une fois de
plus démontré.
Le 5 octobre, vers midi, la Junon, laissant à sa gauche la pointe

sud de l’île Sainte-Élisabeth et le pic Sainte-Anne, très élevé, pointu
et à arêtes absolument droites, s’engageait dans le canal Smith, qui
est la partie la plus méridionale des canaux latéraux. Depuis le
matin, nous avions été, comme la veille, battus par une forte brise du
nord-est, à rafales ; mais dès que nous fûmes dans les passages
resserrés, à l’abri des hautes collines situées à notre droite, nous
retrouvâmes un calme presque parfait.
A partir de ce moment, les surprises succèdent aux surprises. Le
caractère des paysages qui défilent sous nos yeux est extrêmement
varié, mais n’a plus la sévérité austère de ceux du détroit. Le décor
change à chaque instant ; nous naviguons sur une suite de petits
lacs encaissés entre des collines couvertes de verdure et parsemés
d’îlots, de rochers, qui se cachent et se démasquent tour à tour à
mesure que la Junon les contourne. La largeur du canal n’est pas
bien grande ; cependant nous filons à toute vitesse, pour rester
maîtres du courant. Il n’y a plus de route à la boussole (au compas,
comme disent les marins), l’œil est seul juge de la direction du
navire. La barre est continuellement en mouvement, et c’est plaisir
de voir notre grand steamer se lancer à droite ou à gauche, faisant
parfois plus d’un demi-cercle pour tourner autour d’une pointe, éviter
une île placée au beau milieu de sa route et repartir tout droit devant
lui, jusqu’à ce qu’un nouvel obstacle l’oblige à se déranger encore.
Chacun de nous cherche dans ses souvenirs quelque
ressemblance avec ce que nous voyons : « Voici un paysage des
Alpes !… Tenez, maintenant, c’est le Jura ! » M. de Saint-Clair, qui a
longtemps habité Glascow, prétend que rien ne rappelle mieux
l’Écosse !… Un autre nomme un des plus jolis sites des bords du
Rhin… Le froid est assez rude, mais nous nous amusons réellement
trop pour avoir la pensée de quitter la dunette ; les plus braves sont
juchés sur le gaillard d’avant et à chaque tournant de route
cherchent à deviner par où on va passer. En effet, il nous semble
être continuellement au centre d’un cercle étroit, et l’œil ne distingue
pas les coupures qui nous permettront d’en sortir.
Vers quatre heures, la vigie signale un point noir par le bossoir de
tribord. Une minute après, et comme une traînée de poudre, éclatent
de l’avant à l’arrière les cris : « Un canot ! un canot ! » Tout le monde
est aux bastingages, à regarder. C’est encore une pirogue de
Pêcherais. Nous stoppons. Cette fois, comme la mer est très calme,
les indigènes peuvent se haler sur l’amarre qu’on leur a jetée, et
nous restons quelques minutes courant doucement sur notre vitesse
acquise ; pendant qu’on fait les échanges les plus baroques avec
ces malheureux, croquons le tableau :
La pirogue, d’à peu près vingt pieds de long, est construite en
planches grossièrement équarries, reliées et soutenues entre elles
par des branches courbées en demi-cercle ; le tout retenu par des
cordes en boyau. Elle est manœuvrée, non par des pagaies, comme
l’embarcation que nous avons vue dans le détroit, mais par de longs
avirons, formés de deux pièces. Il y a là une douzaine de
personnes : six hommes, trois femmes et quelques marmots. Je
remarque un vieux Pêcherais, le grand-père sans doute, ridé et
amaigri, dont les cheveux cependant sont aussi noirs, aussi raides,
aussi épais et aussi longs que ceux des autres. Hommes et femmes
ont le même type. Les femmes paraissent plus laides, mais je pense
que c’est parce qu’elles le sont autant, ce à quoi nous ne sommes
pas habitués. La peau est rouge brique, ou peu s’en faut ; la face est
ronde, grosse, aplatie, le front bas, mais assez large. Comme
presque toutes les races d’Indiens, ils ont les yeux noirs, les
pommettes saillantes, les lèvres un peu fortes et de belles dents.
Deux des femmes, qui sont jeunes, ont la gorge assez forte, mais
déjà déformée. Quant à la vieille, elle est horrible à voir ; Macbeth
n’a jamais entrevu pareille sorcière. Les enfants sont dans le fond de
la pirogue, accroupis devant un feu de bois sec, qu’ils tisonnent avec
beaucoup de sérieux, et ne paraissent faire aucune attention à nous.
Cela m’a surpris. En revanche, trois chiens au profil de renard,
groupés à l’avant du bateau, nous examinent avec curiosité.
Tout ce monde est absolument nu. Femmes, hommes et enfants
n’ont pour costume qu’une peau de bête, jetée sur le dos.
Je reparlerai de ces pauvres diables de cannibales, car nous
avons eu le plaisir de les revoir. Ils ne purent cette fois rester que fort
peu de temps le long du bord, mais cela leur suffit pour conclure
quelques opérations commerciales avec nous. L’article d’exportation
le plus demandé était le tabac ; l’importation, très variée, comprenait
des peaux de loutre, des flèches, des colliers de coquilles, produits
d’une industrie plus qu’élémentaire.
L’un de nous voulait absolument acquérir un petit objet brillant,
pendu au cou de l’un de ces sauvages ; mais celui-ci ne voulait s’en
démunir à aucun prix ; un paquet de tabac, deux, trois ne
parvenaient pas à le décider ; enfin quatre paquets, toute une
fortune, triomphèrent de sa résistance au moment où la pirogue se
détachait. Notre ami saisit son trésor avec émotion… C’était un
bouton de culotte de fabrique anglaise.
Nous repartons à toute vitesse, et, vers cinq heures du soir, la
Junon fait son entrée dans un petit havre, connu sous le nom de
baie de l’Isthme. Là, comme dans la baie Swallow et comme dans
les deux autres mouillages que nous avons pris avant de sortir des
canaux, il y a la place d’abriter un navire assez grand, mais un seul.
Il est convenu maintenant que, grâce aux progrès de la
civilisation, tous les points du globe sont devenus quasiment des
faubourgs de Paris, et que de magnifiques steamers transportent
avec la plus entière sécurité et le plus splendide confortable les
touristes et les commis voyageurs. On admet généralement aussi
que les parages jadis inconnus sont sillonnés de nombreux navires,
que toutes les côtes sont exactement relevées et toutes les cartes
excellentes. Je crois m’apercevoir que ce sont là de purs préjugés,
et en ce qui concerne le magnifique passage où nous nous trouvons
en ce moment, je puis vous assurer que c’est une curiosité qui attire
fort peu de curieux.
Je n’en veux d’autre preuve que la coutume adoptée par les
navires de marquer la trace de leur passage dans les baies où ils
viennent chercher un abri pour la nuit.
En arrivant à terre dans la baie de l’Isthme, nous avons tout
d’abord trouvé les cartes de visite de nos prédécesseurs, sous forme
de planches clouées aux arbres du rivage. Il y en a fort peu ; j’ai
relevé sur le tronc mort d’un grand hêtre, choisi bien en évidence sur
un petit monticule, les quatre inscriptions suivantes :
Luxor 17/12/77.
S.M.S. Feb. Vineta 76.
S.S. Ibis Den 9 Sept. 1876.
S.S. South Carolina, left New-York march 2nd, anchored here
april 6th 1876.
Il y avait, en outre, deux planches dont les inscriptions étaient
complètement effacées par le temps. Sur l’une d’elles, je gravai avec
la pointe de mon poignard :
Junon 5/10/1878.
La promenade à terre ne présenta aucun incident remarquable.
On tira bon nombre de canards, on récolta plusieurs brassées de
moules, aussi belles et aussi abondantes que dans le détroit, et
comme une petite pluie fine commençait à tomber, nous nous
empressâmes de rentrer à bord pour ne pas faire attendre le dîner,
que réclamaient, d’ailleurs, nos jeunes appétits, aiguisés par le froid
et l’exercice.
Ayant passé toute cette journée au grand air, comme les deux
précédentes, et devant nous lever de fort bonne heure le lendemain,
chacun s’était retiré dans sa chambre après le repas. Soudain, à dix
heures et demie, je suis réveillé par des hurlements qui me font
immédiatement dégringoler de mon cadre. En un instant, nous voilà
tous sur le pont. Qu’est-ce ? Le feu ? Une attaque des sauvages ?
Ce sont en effet des indigènes, mais leurs intentions sont toutes
pacifiques. Ce sont les mêmes que nous avons rencontrés dans le
canal. Ils ont trouvé, sans doute, que nous faisions les affaires
largement, car les malheureux ont parcouru une vingtaine de milles
à l’aviron pour venir continuer leurs échanges.
Nous voulons les faire tous monter à bord, mais la vieille
« sorcière » s’y refuse énergiquement et reste avec les deux femmes
et les enfants pour garder la pirogue. Je n’ose pénétrer le motif de
cette méfiance, qui laisse planer des doutes « incompréhensibles »
sur la galanterie exagérée de ceux qui ont passé ici avant nous.
Les hommes ont gravi l’échelle du bord sans hésitation et sont
introduits cérémonieusement dans le salon arrière. Voilà nos invités
assis, complètement nus, sur les banquettes de velours, en face de
diverses victuailles. Ils touchent peu à la viande, mais les sardines
sont l’objet de leur prédilection ; elles disparaissent par douzaines, et
ces messieurs ne repoussent les assiettes qu’après les avoir
léchées avec soin et satisfaction. Le grand-père est décidément
affreux ; mais les deux jeunes gens, assez bien bâtis, ne sont pas
trop laids. Ces êtres-là sont des brutes, il n’y a pas à en douter, et
Darwin leur a rendu justice en les classant au dernier rang de
l’espèce humaine ; leur genre de vie, l’état de misère et de
dégradation où ils végètent, en sont de suffisants témoignages,
cependant leurs physionomies sont loin d’être idiotes, et on y trouve
un mélange de bonhomie et de finesse.
Le vieillard qui vient de changer la peau de loutre qu’il avait sur le
dos contre une boîte de conserves fait claquer ses dents pour
indiquer qu’il a froid. Ne se croyant pas bien compris, il touche
plusieurs fois sa peau, puis la manche de notre ami B…, placé à
côté de lui, pour indiquer qu’il voudrait bien en avoir autant. B… se
laisse attendrir, descend dans sa cabine et revient avec un costume
complet d’été, dont le vieux Pêcherais est revêtu séance tenante.
Rien de plus comique que de voir ce grand sauvage tout habillé
de blanc, dans ce pays de glace et par deux degrés de froid. Même
quand il a mangé de l’Européen, supposition que son âge rend
assez vraisemblable, il n’a pas dû être aussi content. Il se promène,
se pavane, s’admire dans un miroir, qui ne l’étonne pas trop (il a dû
en voir déjà) ; il plante ses mains recouvertes de débris de sardines
dans les poches du veston ; c’est une joie sans pareille… Pendant
qu’on les amuse avec une montre dont le tic tac les intrigue fort,
notre professeur d’histoire naturelle examine leurs mâchoires,
mesure leurs têtes, palpe leurs bosses, et je ne doute pas qu’ils ne
prennent ces attouchements scientifiques pour des marques
d’amitié ; car ils lui sourient aimablement et semblent le remercier.
Quelqu’un se met au piano. Shakspeare a dit : « Music sooths
the savage breast. » Il avait deviné les sauvages des terres
magellaniques : ils dressent les oreilles, restent un moment
immobiles, se lèvent ; leur physionomie exprime d’abord l’inquiétude,
puis l’étonnement. Bientôt ils dodelinent de la tête, et comme c’est
une marche très rythmée qu’on leur joue, ils saisissent la mesure.
S’encourageant l’un l’autre, ils s’approchent à petits pas de cette
grande caisse qui chante. L’instrument se tait. Le plus brave de nos
indigènes touche timidement une note du doigt et se recule ; enfin,
rassemblant tout son courage, il plante vigoureusement ses deux
poings sur le clavier, en regardant les autres avec une expression de
crânerie qui nous fait éclater de rire. Ce sera alors à qui touchera le
piano ; mais l’idée leur venant de regarder ce qu’il y a dedans,
quelqu’un entame le galop d’Orphée pour faire diversion. On les
prend par la main et on les fait danser. Les sauvages sont devenus
d’une gaieté folle ; Parisiens et Pêcherais mêlés sautent et rient à se
tordre…, sans savoir pourquoi, je le veux bien, mais de bon cœur, je
vous assure. Il est évident qu’un être grave, transporté à bord de la
Junon, nous aurait en ce moment tous pris pour des fous. Peut-être
serait-il devenu fou lui-même… Aux derniers accords de l’infernal
galop, nous les reconduisons jusqu’à la coupée et les poussons
dans leur pirogue ; vieux pantalons, gilets déchirés, chapeaux
défoncés, tout ce que nous avons de nippes en mauvais état et de
hardes hors de service pleuvent sur leurs têtes, et bientôt
l’embarcation disparaît dans les ténèbres.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Avant que le soleil ait jeté son premier rayon sur les cimes des
montagnes, la Junon était sortie de la baie de l’Isthme et continuait
sa course rapide à travers les canaux étroits qui font communiquer
le Smith-Sound et le canal Sarmiento. C’est un dimanche, et peut-
être, depuis notre départ de France, n’avons-nous pas eu une plus
belle journée que celle-ci. Dans quel pays sommes-nous, et sous
quel climat vivons-nous ? Pas un nuage au ciel, qui, pour la première
fois depuis huit jours, nous montre un azur bien franc, presque
foncé. Nous glissons sur une mer unie, limpide et d’un magnifique
vert sombre, dans laquelle se reflètent comme dans l’eau d’un lac
les îles verdoyantes, les cascades, les vallées, les glaciers qui
bordent la route. La température est d’une douceur exceptionnelle.
Nous nous dirigeons maintenant presque droit au nord, et si la
végétation a conservé le même caractère, elle nous apparaît plus
puissante et donne par cela même au paysage un aspect plus gai et
plus vivant.
Pour la première fois, on dit la messe dans le salon, garni de
fougères, d’épines-vinettes et de branchages de toute sorte,
arrachés aux fourrés de la baie de l’Isthme.
A une heure de l’après-midi, le commandant nous fait une
agréable surprise : « Qu’on soit paré à mouiller ! » — Ceci nous
annonce quatre ou cinq heures de promenade, de chasse,
d’escalades, sans compter le principal attrait de ces courses en pays
perdu…, l’imprévu ! La Junon range d’assez près la terre que nous
avons à notre gauche, puis vient en grand sur tribord, stoppe et
entre doucement dans un bassin fermé par de ravissantes petites
îles couvertes d’arbres. « Tribord, mouillez ! » La lourde chaîne file
bruyamment dans les écubiers. Nous sommes dans la baie de
Puerto-Bueno.
On ne pouvait choisir meilleur mouillage ni plus joli endroit.
Pendant qu’on amène les embarcations, nous allons nous équiper.
Arrivés à terre, chacun poursuit sa route à sa guise ; le commandant
fait des sondages ; M. Collot, accompagné de deux amateurs
d’histoire naturelle, va augmenter ses collections. Celui-ci, aux pieds
agiles, a déjà commencé l’ascension du plus haut pic, et celui-là, qui
espère rencontrer des indigènes, se charge, outre un arsenal
complet, d’un grand sac de tabac et de bibelots qu’il compte
échanger avantageusement. Le plus grand nombre est en quête de
gibier, et tout ce qui sait tenir un crayon a dans la poche un album,
petit ou grand.
Bref, armés jusqu’aux dents et vêtus comme des contrebandiers,
ayant plutôt l’air de conquérants que de touristes, nous
disparaissons tous dans la forêt vierge.
Avec mon compagnon Jules C…, je me fraye difficilement un
passage à travers des bois peu élevés, mais très touffus de hêtres,
de bouleaux et de frênes. Nous rencontrons aussi des houx, des
bruyères très hautes, d’énormes fougères et une grande variété
d’arbres et d’arbustes dont les noms nous sont inconnus.
Après avoir franchi une ondulation de terrain en dos d’âne, nous
redescendons de l’autre côté, mais la marche devient fort difficile.
Nulle part on n’aperçoit une parcelle de terre ; nous foulons une
couche d’humus, formée de végétaux décomposés, de vieilles
souches pourries enveloppées de mousses et de lichens ; parfois
nous enfonçons jusqu’à la ceinture dans des crevasses que rien
n’indique à la vue. Les arbres sont ici beaucoup plus élevés et
fournissent un ombrage épais. Nous avançons en allant de l’un à
l’autre, écartant ou tournant les obstacles à mesure qu’ils se
présentent. Une quantité de petits oiseaux au plumage gris et noir
gazouillent autour de nous.
Le travail des siècles a pu seul rendre fertiles ces collines et ces
îles rocheuses. Un germe déposé a produit un arbuste chétif, qui a
retenu entre ses faibles racines un peu d’humidité et de terre, il
vieillit, tombe, pourrit, se recouvre de mousse, donne le germe à une
douzaine d’arbustes qui, à leur tour, poussent, grandissent pour
vieillir et tomber encore ; si bien que l’accumulation constante des
détritus, en donnant sans cesse naissance à de nouveaux végétaux
a fini par nourrir toute une forêt qui ira toujours en grandissant et en
s’étendant de plus en plus.
Une heure de glissades, de chutes, de culbutes à travers ces
impénétrables fourrés, nous amenèrent au bord d’un charmant petit
lac d’eau douce dans lequel se déversent les eaux d’un autre lac un
peu plus grand. Nous y retrouvons plusieurs de nos chasseurs.
— Eh bien ! Combien de victimes ?

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Global Perspectives on Project Based Language Learning

Digital Teaching and Learning Perspectives for English

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ISBN 978-3-030-76590-3 ISBN 978-3-030-76591-0 (eBook)

Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana Charmaine Bissessar

COVID-19 sneaked up upon us like a thief in the night

Part I Emergency Remote Learning

Part II Emergency Remote Teaching

Part III Emergency Remote Leadership

Ernest Ampadu Department of Learning, Royal Institute of Technology,

Nataliia Stukalo University of Roehampton/Liverpool (Online), London, UK

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 3

Emergency Remote Teaching and Pandemic Learning Modes

Hodges et al. (2020) coined emergency remote teaching (ERT) as “a temporary

Students’ Attendance and Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT)

As education at all levels transitioned to synchronous or asynchronous modes of

Parental Involvement During ERT

In their discussion of parental involvement during the pandemic, Bhamani et al.

Students’ Motivation/Engagement During ERT

52.1% of secondary school students – reported difficulty staying focused during

confidentiality with results recorded collectively rather than individually.

Digital “Homework Gap” and Parental Involvement

There is a dearth of information on teachers’ access to high-speed Internet and

Students’ Motivation or Lack Thereof

In their discussion of motivation, teachers mentioned the inaccessibility to

Students’ Engagement or Lack Thereof

It was difficult to determine whether students were engaged behaviorally, affec-

Students display behavioral engagement by participating in class, asking and

Conclusions and Recommendations

Emergency remote teaching and pandemic learning modes/pandemic pedagogy/

The author discussed recommendations from other researchers as to the ways in

Rahiem, M. D. (2020). The emergency remote learning experience of university students in

John Sedofia and Ernest Ampadu

The coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19 pandemic, is a viral disease

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 21

Background to the Study

Emergency education is education in situations where learners’ access to education

Theoretical Framework and Empirical Studies

Online learning is the modern application of the distance learning/correspondence

Online Teaching and Learning Tools

Students’ Knowledge About Online Teaching and Learning

 Q1: Online Teaching Tools Available at the University

Table 1 Availability of Online Teaching Tools

 Q 2: Students’ Knowledge and Usage of Online Learning Tools

« Jurant, mais un peu tard, »

qu’on ne nous prendrait plus à compter sur les promesses

Le lendemain, avant le jour, le cliquetis sonore du guindeau à

Partout la couleur est sévère et la forme audacieuse. Le cap

Où sont les canaux latéraux ? — L’ancienne navigation. — Un canot de

Veni, vidi, vici. Nous sommes venus, nous avons vu et nous

Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana Charmaine Bissessar

Part I Emergency Remote Learning

Part II Emergency Remote Teaching

Part III Emergency Remote Leadership

Emergency Remote Teaching and Pandemic Learning Modes

Students’ Attendance and Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT)

Parental Involvement During ERT

Students’ Motivation/Engagement During ERT

Digital “Homework Gap” and Parental Involvement

Students’ Motivation or Lack Thereof

Students’ Engagement or Lack Thereof

Conclusions and Recommendations

Background to the Study

Theoretical Framework and Empirical Studies

Online Teaching and Learning Tools

Students’ Knowledge About Online Teaching and Learning

Q1: Online Teaching Tools Available at the University

Q 2: Students’ Knowledge and Usage of Online Learning Tools