This paper reports on a
study of students’ views of online learning, the obstacles and challenges they
experience, as well as their suggestions for improving the online learning
model. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented move for traditional post-secondary institutions from mostly in-person
learning pre-pandemic to a quick transition to online learning to comply with
pandemic-related restrictions. Despite years of progressive growth in the use
of the online learning model before COVID, for many post-secondary students, this emergency remote
teaching was their first exposure to an entirely online learning experience.
Students who might otherwise have not selected to study online were suddenly
obligated to do so. Yet, there is an associated behavioural and
technological learning curve for students to overcome
to be comfortable and academically succeed with online learning. The goal of
this study is to discern students’ experiences, motivations, benefits, and
barriers with online education and how this shapes their intention of
continuing or not with online learning. To investigate this, we conducted a survey
of 177 Canadian post-secondary using open-ended questions. Qualitative data analysis was used to
arrive at the primary findings related to
themes of 1) technology learning curve, 2) accessibility, 3) engagement, 4)
agency, 5) distraction and procrastination, 6) support, and 7)
isolation. These findings can aid universities
and colleges to understand student views on online learning and, hence,
to design and support this form of education more effectively.
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