University Students Perception of Online Education: Is Engagement Enough?
Acta Inform Med
; 29(1): 4-9, 2021 Mar.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1811116
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Universities have halted non-essential services, with many restricting campus-based teaching, and continuing courses through online resources, including (controversially) lab-work. Such technologically enhanced approaches have been proven to have high levels of engagement among university students.OBJECTIVE:
This study focuses on the perception of quality of online learning by first-year university students, between two semesters, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS:
A 24-item questionnaire was designed with Likert response scale. It consisted of general perception questions of academic life and questions specific to the quality of delivery of a specific class. Eighty one eligible students were asked to fill the same questionnaire for each semester. Students' responses and their grades from the final exams in each semester were compared.RESULTS:
Out of 81 eligible students, 75.31% of students responded to the survey. They were less interested in their studies in the second "online" semester (p=0.05). Students expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of online classes (p=0.03). Academic life fulfillment was also affected (p=0.02). Students' perception of the amount of free time they had between semesters did not change significantly (p=0.16). Students appeared dissatisfied with their active participation during the online class (p=0.007), even though they felt less stressed attending lectures from home (p=0.041). However, they found that workload was bearable and similar between semesters (p=0.83). Students also had significantly more trouble concentrating during online lectures (p<0.001). Students' grades significantly improved by an average of 1.07 (out of 10) in the final exams at the end of the second semester (p<0.001).CONCLUSION:
These unprecedented circumstances require innovation and cooperation on the part of university programs to maintain rigorous standards of higher education, taking into account students' evolving perception and needs.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Observational study
Language:
English
Journal:
Acta Inform Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Aim.2021.29.4-9
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