ERIC Number: EJ1382653
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Mar
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2472-5749
EISSN: EISSN-2472-5730
Students' Satisfaction with Quality of Synchronous Online Learning under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceptions from Liberal Arts and Science Undergraduates
Majewska, Izabela; Zvobgo, Varaidzo
Online Learning, v27 n1 p313-335 Mar 2023
COVID-19 imposed dramatic changes on educational practices worldwide with American institutions of higher learning moving a significant number of their courses and educational programs to electronic online modes. In the post-pandemic world, the same institutions and educational programs recognize the need to incorporate technological components into their courses. Yet, some disciplines and areas of study may be better equipped for this change than others. The liberal arts are believed to be more reliant on face-to-face interaction and thus can be argued to have been more negatively affected by the required move to synchronous online learning during the pandemic Instructors have the option of teaching online courses either synchronously or asynchronously. As synchronous online learning requires course delivery in real-time via online video conferencing, the hope is that some of the drawbacks associated with teaching liberal arts online can be mitigated with technology-based, face-to-face interaction. In the spirit of exploring the relationship between liberal arts education and synchronous online learning, this research aimed at gauging Jacksonville liberal arts students' levels of satisfaction with the quality of instruction in synchronously delivered courses during the spring semester of 2021. Informed by the Community of Inquiry theory, of special interest were aspects of synchronous online learning like interaction with the virtual platform (video conferencing), interaction with content, interaction with instructor, and interaction with peers. Three local institutions participated in this study, yielding a sample of 141 students who participated in an anonymous Qualtrics survey pertaining to their learning experiences in the synchronous mode. Using a mixed-methods approach, results show positive perceptions, challenges, and recommendations for synchronous online learning.
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Higher Education, Educational Technology, Electronic Learning, Online Courses, Liberal Arts, Synchronous Communication, Barriers, Educational Quality, Videoconferencing, Teacher Student Relationship, Peer Relationship, Interaction, Student Characteristics
Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida (Jacksonville)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A