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How Do Students View Online Learning
How Do Students View Online Learning
to summarize the areas of online learning to the future development for e-learning,
that need urgent improvement, and provide especially providing valuable proposals in
some feasible suggestions for its terms of the construction of online
development. The above are the main platform, teachers’ online instruction
objectives of this research, which have a development and application functional
strong relevance both to the current improvement. There is no doubt that online
situation for online learning in the context learning will become an important way of
of the epidemic, and also to its future teaching and learning. In the context of this
improvement and challenge in the post- trend, the research can provide more
epidemic era. examples and knowledge for its database.
On the one hand, the study focuses
Literature review
on the development of online education in
the midst of an epidemic. It brings more
In the last year, online education
regional empirical research data and
with home isolation had attracted a lot of
international experience, which could
attention worldwide. In China, some
provide more support for education to deal
researchers systematically reviewed many
with the crisis, and piece together the
typical online instruction and cases,
online education map under the global
providing some valuable references and
epidemic. On the other hand, e-learning, as
guidance for ongoing practice (Jiao Zhou
an important complementary modality to
& Chen, 2020; Xie et al., 2020). Song Xu
traditional school education, has played a
and Li (2020) focused on the model
vital role in the epidemic. Yet, as an
establishment, with analyzing the factors
immature form of teaching and learning,
affecting online teaching and learning, and
the online education not only gained more
proposing an online "teacher-parent-
opportunities for future development, but
student" community framework model.
also encountered unprecedented challenges
Zou Li and Xie (2020) analyzed the
and revealed many problems during this
development of e-learning in universities
epidemic. In such a situation, it is
in a regional context, and proposed a
important to obtain direct, first-hand data
regional online education model. Wang et
from the reality of students’ learning. As
al. (2020) paid attention to the views and
the main group involved in online learning,
attitudes of stakeholders, and conducted a
students’ expectations, dissatisfaction,
nationwide online questionnaire survey, to
suggestions and perceptions will contribute
investigate the government, school
administrators, teachers, students, and most of them spent much less time on
parents. Yang and Zhang (2020) targeted at learning. Besides, they showed a lot of the
primary and secondary school teachers strength and the weakness of online
around 23 provinces, collecting their learning. Baladrón Pazos Correyero Ruiz
attitudes, actions and expectations about and Manchado Pérez (2020) investigated
online education by online questionnaire the students’ views on the transformation,
survey. Fu and Zhou (2020) analyzed the which was from in-person learning to
challenges posed by the epidemic to China online learning, carried out around the
online education among several faculties of communication in Spain. The
dimensions, such as equipment, teachers, research found that even the transformation
students and parents. was successful integrally, there were still
Internationally, the online education, some essential limitations. For example,
during the pandemic, also attracted the teachers used the traditional instruction
researchers’ attentions. Mladenova without adjusting to the features and
Kalmukov and Valova (2020) present a advantages of online learning. A Japanese
study on the comparison between three research team, Nenko Кybalna and
types of e-learning and traditional onsite Snisarenko (2020), focused on the situation
learning, through students’ opinions before of online learning around Ukrainian higher
and after this pandemic. Their research educational institutions, including the
found that even the young people had been effectiveness, types, negative and positive
called digital generation, their attitudes to aspects, perspectives, and approaches.
e-learning were a little bit of being Through questionnaires, the research
negative, which was quite different as what figured out the most used distance learning
we thought about. Velichová Orbánová tools, duration of learning, readiness of
and Kúbeková (2020) investigated the participants, factors that affect distance
secondary school students in Slovakia, to learning in Ukraine, which echoed the
find out their views on online learning. The present results in other researches. There
results indicated that secondary students were also several research teams conducted
preferred to regard online learning as the investigations in a wide scope among
combination with traditional onsite schools and universities, with the targets
learning. And they stated the time intensity like the students’ knowledge, attitudes, and
of online learning was greater than the practice (Saefi et al., 2020), the students’
traditional form of learning, even though intentions to utilize the e-learning system
(Al-Okaily et al., 2020), and the level of The study uses the questionnaire
students’ self-regulated learning during the survey to obtain more about the objects’
pandemic (Sulisworo et al., 2020). These attitudes, behaviors, opinions and
researches provided large amounts of data cognition in the special situation. The key
and information to promote the new purpose of the research is to understand
learning style. students’ perceptions of online learning.
Based on these existing researches, The survey results could indicate and
our study is also about understanding generalize the trends and distributions of
students' views on e-learning. However, students’ opinions from various
we have two distinguishing features in dimensions.
contrast with the researches above. On the The questionnaire is anonymous and
one hand, we have chosen a specific period contains two sections. The first part
of time, when students just got rid of the includes nineteen objective choice
two-months social isolation and went back questions, consisting of one-choice and
to school. At that time, they still had clear multiple-choice questions. In the multiple-
perceptions and feelings about the home- choice questions, the sum of the
based online learning experience, which percentages will be greater than 100 per
could enhance the timeliness and accuracy cent. The second part includes two
of the data. On the other hand, the subjective short answer questions, in order
questionnaire was designed with two short- to collect more details of the students’
answer questions that aimed to fully individual situation, opinions and
explore the implicit knowledge of students' suggestions of online learning. Meanwhile,
views and attitudes towards online to ensure the validity of the research, the
learning. Thus, we provide both questionnaire was tested by two experts,
quantitative data and qualitative data to and necessary modifications were made to
demonstrate our results, where the it on the basis of the experts’ consultations.
quantitative data shows the trends of Besides, in order to ensure the accuracy
development and distributions of problems, and authenticity, the questionnaires were
and the qualitative data gives an explicit distributed by class at the beginning of the
description of students' views and attitudes. resumption of school spring semester. At
that time, students still had a very clear
Methodology
feeling and opinions towards online
learning. Also, with the help and support
from many head teachers, there were only students pointed out that there were many
10 invalid questionnaires, maximizing the temptations to concentrate on study, of
effectiveness of the investigation (99.2%). whom 38% indicated that there was limited
The population of the research time for study, 7% indicated that they
comprises 1270 secondary school students seldom studied during pandemic.
in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. “Distracting”, “playing with my mobile
Those respondents were from different phone”, and “being dazed when listening
grades and different secondary schools. to online classes” were the dominate
Among them, 24% of the students were behaviors and main culprits, which echoed
from senior, 33% of the students were other research findings (Zeng, 2020; Song
from sophomore, and the rest of the Xu & Li, 2020).
students (43%) were freshman. The results of the study demonstrated
Meanwhile, 64.6% of the students were more characteristics of students’ online
from public schools, and 35.4% of them learning situation. The following will be
were from private schools. organized by various dimensions of
students’ opinions and behaviors during
Results and discussion
the home isolation, such as the study
motivation, learning outcomes, advantages
Generally, the results of the research
and disadvantages, supervision, collective
indicated that students were able to adapt
atmosphere, adaptability, and attitudes.
quickly to the new mode of learning, and
These elements and data may
could maintain a high completion rate
comprehensively show the regional outline
during this unprecedented, mega-scale, and
for the secondary school students’ online
unexpected online learning process. 94%
learning during the pandemic.
of respondents were basically able to
complete the daily learning tasks assigned
Study motivation
by teachers, while 100% senior year
students could better complete those The results showed that only about
learning tasks. Besides, as regards self- 35% of students said they studied by
management, 55% of students were able to “internal motivation”, yet nearly 70% of
study effectively on their own, with 20% students expressed they were motivated to
of them noting that they were able to make study online by external sources, of whom,
and complete their own study plans 40% were motivated by the tasks assigned
conscientiously. However, the rest 45% of by teachers online, 18% were motivated by
'peer influence', that was they believed that afford to be left behind, and 7% relied on
their classmates were taking online parental urging (see Figure 1).
learning seriously and they could not
Figure 1. Secondary students’ learning motivation during home isolation in Xuzhou City.
internal motivation
external motivation
40%
35%
18%
7%
convenient when students encounter would turn to search internet (45%) or ask
difficulties, such as “hardly expressing peers (38%) rather than seeking help from
questions, particularly the mathematical teachers online (17%), which revealed
symbols or chemical equation”, “too little teachers were no longer the first choice for
teacher-student interaction online”, students to turn to when it came to online
“equipment problems”, or “unable to learning. However, we all know teachers
communicate at all times”. Therefore, play a significant and irreplaceable role in
according to “problems solving”, less than education with their phronesis, hence it is
half of respondents said they would solve worth pondering (Liu & Sun, 2020).
the problems in the moment, while 31% of Comparing the data from graduating
respondents said they would write them classes and non-graduating classes, we
down and solve them when they returned found there was corresponding tendency,
to school, and the rest (15%) said they "did while the former’s performance was more
not intend to solve them". Furthermore, significantly than the latter’s. More details
among the students who chose to solve present in Figure 2.
problems immediately, more of them
Figure 2. Comparison between graduate and non-graduate students in several online learning performances.
We suppose that the pressure from motivation maintenance (Chen & Liu,
academic work push final year students 2021).
overcome the difficulties and discomfort,
Advantages and disadvantages
and significantly perform better than non-
final year students in terms of self-
With data analyzing, learning with
management, quality of academic
more relaxation and interests, freely
completion, problem solving and
allocating time, convenient and fast
supervision, students inevitably suffered of students’ parents were able to help their
from low learning efficiency, poor children with research and problem
concentration and mediocre learning solving. The pandemic led to the time and
outcomes. Studies have shown that a large space separation for teaching and learning
part of the reason why online learning is activities, so that parents became the first
"high in selection but low in completion" is person, who should take a more important
because there is no effective monitoring role than ever in supervising and guiding
and evaluation method, and many students' students in online learning, and interacting
self-learning ability is not sufficient to with teachers in home-school cooperation
support them to complete an online course (Li Wang & Chai, 2021; Gao, 2020).
(Ma et al., 2019). In our survey, 73% of
Collective atmosphere
respondents said that online learning had
more 'temptations' than studying at school,
Many students clearly stated that the
which made it more spontaneous, such as
group learning atmosphere was one of the
"I study when I want to, but not when I
main advantages of studying at school,
don't" (35%), and "I have limited time to
where they could whisper to each other,
study" (38%).
sharing ideas and raising hands to ask
From the perspectives of students,
questions at any time. However, this is a
the level and quality of parents’
need that cannot be met by online learning,
involvement during the pandemic was also
as the distance learning technology is still
not high. For example, only 3% of students
unable to provide a more humanity online
said their parents always monitored their
communication environment (Jiao Zhou &
study during home isolation, and 30% of
Chen, 2020). Online learning during the
students said their parents regularly
epidemic was often in a 'many-to-one'
monitored their learning, while 63% of
mode, where dozens of students could see
students said their parents 'occasionally
their teachers, but not each other. Without
monitored' or 'hardly monitored' their
working together, collaborative discussion,
study. This was a significant difference,
sense of rhythm and tension, and sense of
reflecting the low level of parental
social presence was weak (Teng, 2013).
involvement for their children’s learning.
63% of students said they had significantly
In addition, 57% of students’ parents
less interaction with their teachers while
supervised their children’s learning by
studying online at home. Besides, the
checking their homework, while only 9%
frequency of student-student
communication had also decreased. Nearly the pandemic, it had become the main
half of students said that they did not instruction approach. This transformation
communicate with each other as often as led to a certain degree of non-adaptability
they did at school, of whom, only 14% for students. Almost half of respondents
talked about their study as the main topics. (35%) indicated that the online learning at
The data of graduate students were better, home was not very suitable for study, 9%
with 27% of students talking about study respondents indicated it was very
online, yet, the tendency was similar. unsuitable for learning. Figure 5 provides
more comparison in adaptability between
Adaptability
graduate students and non-graduate
students.
In decades, distance education has
been used as an adjunct to schooling, but in
Figure 5. The comparison between graduate and non-graduate students’ adaptability about online learning.
60%
50%
40% non-
30% graduate
20% students
10%
0% graduate
students
believed that online learning would students. 33% of respondents believed that
become a mainstream teaching method in online education 'would not' become a
the future, while some students had a wait- mainstream teaching method in the future,
and-see attitude (23%), and the rest of much more than the 'would' (28%). This
them (35%) supposed the online learning percentage was in contrast to the other
would not be one of the main teaching grades students’. And more details can be
approaches in the future. However, there seen in Figure 6.
was a more negative view among graduate
Figure 6. The comparison between graduate and non-graduate students’ opinions to future development of online
learning.
We analyzed that the anxiety of the education not only caught up the
imminent university entrance exams made opportunities for development, but also
it difficult for them to 'settle in' as well as underwent the challenge. It is no doubt that
other grades students. As a result, although the future of online learning is positive and
final year students outperformed than other worth anticipating. Through data analysis,
grades students in terms of quality of task the results of this research about the
completion, efficiency and self-learning regional secondary school students’
ability, they were more eager to return to perception about online learning have
the familiarity and authenticity of the brought several significant findings.
traditional onsite learning. In the first research question, we
examined the general overview of
Conclusion
students’ online learning. The results
indicated that generally students were able
As the main learning pathway for
to adapt quickly to the new mode of
students during the pandemic, online
learning, and could maintain a high not perform better in the following exams.
completion rate to learning tasks, yet, in Hence, even the online learning during the
particular, there were several problems that pandemic in China went on well, there
were deserved careful thinking. Most were still a lot of problems that influenced
students reflected that online learning students’ learning experience and
decreased their learning motivation and achievements.
abilities of self-management, and they In the third research question, we
could not complete the learning tasks as explored students’ attitude and opinions to
well as they did at schools. Besides, online learning. The results indicated that it
although students confirmed that online should be not optimistic about students’
learning has many strengths, they also adaptability for online learning, as almost
pointed out the shortcomings of online half of the respondents said the online
learning. It lacks effective teacher learning at home was not very suitable for
supervision, humanity online study. Contrarily, many students held a
communication environment, and positive, confident, and expectant attitude
collective learning atmosphere. towards the future development of the
In the second research question, we online learning, and believed it would
analyzed the effect of online learning on become a mainstream teaching and
students. The results showed that most learning method in the future. The entirely
secondary school students preferred to different attitudes precisely proved our
study at school, rather than online, which assumption that the online learning both
was quite different from their characters as encountered a huge challenge during the
digital generation. The majority of pandemic and caught up an opportunity of
respondents said they could not complete boosting its status and impact in the
their learning tasks as well as they did at education domain.
school. The data from the two short-answer Information technology in education
questions showed that it seemed less has been in development in China for more
convenient when students encountered than a decade. With the policy, Education
difficulties during online learning, such as Informatization 2.0 Action Plan, issued by
“hardly express the mathematical symbols the Ministry of Education in 2018, China
or chemical equation” or “equipment has entered the era of "Internet +
problems”. Furthermore, for the learning Education". And intelligent and
outcomes, they predicted that they could informative education has become an
online learning, which both need widely and actively engage in the
technology support and more active information era.
involvement of teachers and students.
Acknowledgements
Teachers’ information literacy is an
essential part of online education, which
Many thanks to Mr. Xu, Mrs. Tian
has been uncovered many problems, such
and several other teachers for their help
as boring lecturing, lack of interactions,
and support in the process of data
and invalid supervision. According to the
collection. The research is funded by the
regional experience, we suppose that
China National Education Scientific
teachers should learn and utilize diverse
Planning Project (BHA190127).
distance education applications to enhance
their information literacy. They should
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Article Information
Double review.
Funding
APA
Xu, T. Z. (2021). How do students view online learning: an
empirical study of online learning during the Covid-19
Pandemic. Rev. Bras. Educ. Camp., 6, e11853.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e11853
ABNT
XU, T. Z. How do students view online learning: an
empirical study of online learning during the Covid-19
Pandemic. Rev. Bras. Educ. Camp., Tocantinópolis, v. 6,
e11853, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e11853