How Effective is Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic, According to Students’ Perceptions of Their Learning Skills?

Abstract:

With over ten million infections, half a million deaths, negative oil prices, and the largest economic recession in 3 decades, COVID-19 has changed the world (BBC, 2020). Studies found that air pollution (King, 2020) and race (within the US) (APM Research Lab, 2020) are closely correlated with COVID-19 death rate, tying to environmental and societal factors. During the lockdown, students have transitioned to online learning, with many continuing online learning into the next school year. However, because of the abrupt transition, schools are still figuring out how to best implement online learning. My research investigates the effectiveness of online learning in order to provide feedback for schools when increasing online learning.

A ten-scale, 30-question survey was used to assess the different aspects of online learning. Each scale had an overview and comparison to traditional learning. Grade 6 to 11 students (n=96, 69.8% Female, 26% Male) from a Hong Kong private school were surveyed. The most significant findings were that traditional learning was more interactive, motivating, and enjoyable than online learning. However, students felt much more in control of their environment with online learning. Four major suggestions to improve online learning were to increase interaction, decrease assessed tasks, decrease time on-screen, and centralize the homework and class schedules.

These results could help improve the next semester of online learning, and although further investigation is still required, this could become a starting point for improving online education. This is significant as online learning will only become more widely implemented to make education further accessible regardless of distance or even time.

Amanda King (13 Apr. 2020.). Linking Air Pollution To Higher Coronavirus Death Rates.

Department of Biostatistics. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostatistics/2020/04/linking-air-pollution-to-higher-coronavirus-death-rates/

APM Research Lab (n.d.). COVID-19 deaths analyzed by race and ethnicity — APM Research

Lab. APM Research Lab. Retrieved from https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race

BBC News (n.d.). Coronavirus: A visual guide to the economic impact. BBC News. Retrieved

from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51706225