Volume 6 No. 2 | Year: 2023 | e-ISSN: 2682-9193
Received: 3 Mac 2023 Revised: 2 May 2023 Accepted: 20 June 2023 Published: 31 July 2023
The Challenges and Effectiveness of Online Learning During the Pandemic
Ilham Hakim Roslan, Nurul Haqsyahmi Aiman Shamsirull, Nur Saidatul Aisyah Nor Amran, Misha Irdina Mohd Faizal, and Amirah Nurnadzirah Anuar & *Mohd Sufiean Hassan
Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
Ilham Hakim Roslan
Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: ilhamhakim2002@icloud.com
Nurul Haqsyahmi Aiman Shamsirull Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: haqsyahmi@gmail.com
Nur Saidatul Aisyah Nor Amran Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: saidatulaisyah06@gmail.com
Misha Irdina Mohd Faizal
Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: mishairdina2@gmail.com
Amirah Nurnadzirah Anuar
Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: ymierework@gmail.com
*Mohd Sufiean Hassan
Fakulti Komunikasi dan Pengajian Media Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Melaka Email: mohdsufiean@uitm.edu.my
ABSTRACT
This concept paper identifies the challenges and effectiveness of online learning during the pandemic. The study aims to identify the difficulties faced in online learning and evaluate its effectiveness. A qualitative approach involving document analysis was employed, analyzing 57 research articles to extract recurring themes and trends. The results indicate challenges in implementing active and collaborative teaching, constraints on internet access and connectivity, barriers to student engagement and communication, and varying student perceptions of online learning effectiveness. To enhance online learning, it is recommended that educators address challenges in assignments, tasks, and examinations, and adopt innovative approaches to assessments. By doing so, educators can improve student engagement and learning outcomes in online learning environments.
Keywords: Online Learning, Pandemic, Challenges, Effectiveness, Student Engagement
INTRODUCTION
When COVID-19 broke out in early 2020 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) called it a global pandemic, countries around the world took steps to stop it from spreading (Anwar et al., 2020). Malaysia, like many other countries, put in place a number of lockdowns and restrictions on movement, such as closing all levels of schools (Esa et al., 2020). Hence, face- to-face teaching was stopped, and online learning was used instead to make sure that students kept learning (Romli et al., 2023).
Online learning is becoming more popular as a way to help schools deal with the effects of the pandemic (Saputri et al., 2020). But a lot of study has been done on how well it works (Yaseen et al., 2021; Orikana et al., 2022) and how hard it is for students (Chung et al., 2020;
Kamil & Sani, 2021; Krishan et al., 2020). Several studies have looked at the pros and cons of online learning during pandemic (Surkhali et al., 2020; Stecula et al., 2022; Milicevic et al., 2020).
Irfan and Iman (2020) say that online learning doesn't work and shouldn't be used because there aren't enough computers with internet access, teachers have trouble putting it into practice, and parents don't help. On the other hand, Awal et al. (2020) say that online learning is successful but not efficient because it costs a lot for internet packages. In the same way, Wildana et al. (2020) recognise the promise of online learning made possible by different apps, but they also point out the problems caused by internet access and packages. Muhammad and Kainat (2020) say that problems with connecting to the internet, lack of contact, and not having enough technological tools are all things that make online learning less effective.
Hazwani et al. (2017) talk about how infrastructure is important to online learning, while Nurul Haidah et al. (2020) talk about how important it is for students to be open to online learning possibilities.
Based on the research that has been done so far, online learning has been shown to work in certain situations (Quoc Hoa Tran‑Duong, 2022; Keskin et al., 2023), but it also has some problems and challenges that make it hard to use (Shukor et al., 2015; Humayun et al., 2021;
Darius et al., 2021). To make online learning more successful, problems like poor internet access, high costs of internet packages (Basar et al., 2021), technological limitations (Naik et al., 2020), and students' attitudes (Nainggolan et al., 2022) need to be fixed. So, the aim of this study is to identify the difficulties of online learning during the pandemic and the effectiveness of online learning.
By looking at how well online learning works and what problems it can cause, this study hopes to add to the current conversation about how to improve education in times of crisis. It stresses how important it is for everyone involved, especially teachers and students, to get used to this new standard and learn how to use technology well so they can get the most out of online learning (Syauqi et al., 2020).
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, standard classroom-based learning has had to be quickly replaced by online learning (Nordin et al., 2021). Even though online learning has become
popular (Saputri et al., 2020), students faced a number of challenges as a result of the transition from physical to online learning (Tajudin et al., 2022).
During the pandemic, people don't get enough information about the challenges students encounter when studying online (Basar et al., 2021). It's important to identify the challenges and does online learning affect students' outcomes during pandemic. According to Zambri Harun et al. (2021) online learning can be hard for students, especially during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Malaysia.
Research Objective
To identify the challenges of online learning during a pandemic.
To identify the effectiveness of online learning during the pandemic.
METHODOLOGY
This study uses a qualitative method that focuses on document analysis to look into the problems with online learning during the pandemic and how well it worked. As part of this study, 57 research articles have been studied. The data collection phase (1 month), important articles about online education during the pandemic are gathered. The data will be coded and put into groups in order to find common themes and trends about the challenges and effectiveness of online learning. Through a systematic study, online education's recurring themes, problems, and best practices were found. The results were compared and contrasted with current literature and theories to help theorists understand them better.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
As a way to keep education going, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a quick switch from standard classroom-based learning to online learning. Online learning is a good option, but it has distinct challenges that need to be solved to make sure it works. The results and findings related to the challenges and the effectiveness of online learning during pandemic.
Trouble Implementing Active and Collaborative Teaching
Teachers face challenges when they try to use active and collaborative teaching methods in an online learning setting (Almazova et al., 2020). Almazova et al.'s (2020) study showed that teachers have trouble getting students to work together and participate in positive activities.
Also, a Turkish study (Dolenc et al., 2021) found that online learning is linked to lower levels of teacher support, peer interaction, and cooperation than learning face-to-face. These results show how hard it is for teachers to keep up the same level of active and joint teaching in an online setting.
Constraints on Internet Access and Connectivity
Access to the internet and being able to connect to it are two of the biggest problems with online learning. Basar et al. found in 2021 that students' access to the internet is limited by things like where they live and how much it costs to use the internet. The study stressed that
(2020) said that dorm rooms should be updated so that all students can use wifi internet.
Students also need to have a reliable internet connection in order to use online learning successfully. Students may not be able to take part in virtual classes or use educational resources if they don't have enough internet connection (Hazwani et al., 2020). To give all students the same chances to learn in an online learning setting, it is important to get around these problems.
Barriers to Student Engagement and Communication
Engaging students and fostering effective communication in the online learning environment can be challenging for teachers. Various barriers hinder students' active participation and interaction. Nainggolan et al. (2021) highlighted that some students may feel reluctant to ask questions or participate in discussions due to fears of being judged or labeled. The absence of face-to-face interactions and the limited social dynamics of online classes can contribute to reduced student engagement and collaboration. Teachers face difficulties in establishing a sense of connection and rapport with their students, which is crucial for effective teaching and learning (Brinthaupt et al., 2011). Overcoming these barriers requires the implementation of strategies that promote student engagement, encourage active participation, and create a supportive online learning environment.
Student Engagement and Learning Experience
Fernando et al. (2022) research suggests that online learning can make students more interested in learning and improve their learning experiences. Students said that they were more interested and involved in online learning than in regular face-to-face learning. This shows that online learning has the ability to give students experiences that are dynamic and interactive. But Nainggolan et al. (2022) found that some students were uninterested and sceptical about online learning, which raised questions about how well it worked. It's very important to change these ideas and make sure that online learning is meant to be interesting and useful for students.
Interactive learning activities, group projects, and multimedia material can help students feel more connected and involved in the virtual classroom.
Strategies for Enhancing Online Learning Effectiveness
Educators can use a variety of methods to make online learning more effective. Clear communication and rules are needed to make sure that students know what is expected of them and can move around the online learning setting well. By giving students structured, interactive learning tools, you can help keep them interested and motivated. Collaborative activities, discussion boards, and virtual group projects can help students feel like they are part of a community and talk to each other, just like face-to-face learning.
Online learning practises must be constantly evaluated and made better. Collecting feedback from students and making changes based on what they say can help solve problems and make learning more effective. Using new technologies and creative ways to teach, like gamification and virtual simulations, can also help students learn more and be more motivated to learn.
Also, teachers need to be able to improve their digital teaching skills and get more comfortable with online learning tools through professional development. By giving instructors ongoing help and training, you can make sure they know how to teach well online and keep students interested.
To summarize, online learning has shown that it has the ability to improve student engagement and learning experiences, but it is important to address student perceptions and overcome problems. Educators can make online learning more effective and give students valuable learning experiences during the pandemic by using strategies to get students more involved, fixing technical problems, and improving online learning practises all the time.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
In conclusion, this study has highlighted the learners' perceptions and assessments of online learning effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal both positive correlations between online preference, efficiency, success, and participation, as well as negative correlations with assignments, tasks, and examinations. Future research should focus on addressing the challenges identified, particularly in relation to assignments, tasks, and examinations, to enhance the overall effectiveness of online learning. It is recommended that educators explore innovative approaches to online assessments, such as implementing interactive and authentic assessment methods, to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
*CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Dr. Mohd Sufiean Hassan is a Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Melaka Branch. Email:
mohdsufiean@uitm.edu.my.
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