Virtual learning and English language acquisition in higher education: challenges, adaptation, and opportunities

Resumen

This article explores how the transition to digital environments influenced the acquisition of English as a foreign language among university students in Spanish-speaking contexts. The study adopts a theoretical-exploratory approach based on a documentary review, focusing on the pedagogical, technological, and methodological implications of online education. The research highlights the flexibility of English as a subject, which allowed for a more fluid adaptation to virtual learning compared to other disciplines. The article analyzes the opportunities created by digital tools such as multimedia platforms, collaborative forums, and asynchronous resources, which foster more personalized, interactive, and autonomous learning. However, these benefits contrast with various challenges, such as unequal access to technology, lack of teacher training, and the ineffectiveness of traditional methods in non-face-to-face environments. Approaches such as project-based learning and communicative approaches are identified as the most appropriate for online English teaching. It also highlights the transformation of the teaching role from transmitters of content to digital facilitators and reflective agents. Furthermore, it is observed that virtual education fosters interdisciplinary skills through the integration of media, design, and gamification tools. In conclusion, virtual education has permanently transformed English language teaching. Although it offers significant advantages, it requires improved pedagogical planning, adequate technological infrastructure, and ongoing teacher training. Institutions must promote student-centered strategies to ensure quality English language teaching in digital contexts. The findings underscore that, when implemented correctly, virtual education can foster a more dynamic, equitable, and communicative approach to language learning in the 21st century.