An Investigation of Students’ Perceptions on the Effectiveness of Online Learning and Their Attitudes towards Online Learning

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education worldwide. It has accelerated the development of digital platforms for teaching and learning and unleashed a variety of new technology in education. One of remarkable changes in educational practice is the shift from face-to-face learning in traditional classrooms to virtual classrooms. Such sudden shift has brought a challenge to educators, teachers and learners. Online learning is considered a useful learning tool which offers more flexibility and a number of benefits for learners. However, the effectiveness of online learning can be affected by various factors and some researchers expressed concerns over several issues. Thus, this study aimed to investigate students’ perceptions on the effectiveness of online English courses and their attitudes towards online learning. Student questionnaires with open-ended and close-ended questions are used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The participants were forty-two third-year English major students studying in six online English courses in English Program, Faculty of Liberal Arts. The findings revealed that the participants perceived online learning as effective for learning. It facilitates student learning in terms of flexible study location and time, providing online learning materials for self-revision to students. The participants also had positive attitudes towards online learning at a high level; however, negative attitude were found. Some concerns over online learning and suggestions for more effective online learning were discussed. Implications, limitations and recommendations for further studies are also included.