Evaluating the challenges in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a middle secondary school

Ngawang Chogyel,Norbu Wangdi,Yeshi Dema

doi:10.33902/ijods.2021269731

Abstract

With the implementation of lockdown, social distancing measures and stay home initiatives to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sudden change of pedagogy in education to continue the teaching learning process. This has challenged the education system around the globe. This study was aimed to investigate the challenges faced by the students in conducting online classes during the Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic in a Middle Secondary School in Thimphu District, Bhutan. Adopting mixed method design, the study employed the structured questionnaire to collect quantitative data and semi-structured interview to collect qualitative data. The respondents for the study comprised of 92 students from classes nine and ten selected based on the purposive random sampling technique adopted. Quantitative data collected were analyzed based on descriptive statistics in the form of percentages using SPSS software, whereas the qualitative data were analyzed based on content analysis technique. The study found that the lack of digital facilities (smart phone, laptop and television), internet facilities and personal related factors impacted the online learning negatively during the corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. Based on the findings of this study, it offered useful suggestions to teachers, policy makers and the Ministry of Education for the smooth and quality online teaching and learning during emergencies like COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights

The online learning has existed for more than a decade, the educational intuitions around the globe have shifted to online classes from the face-to-face classroom interaction more vigorously starting from the time when COVID-19 has affected all levels of global education systems
Students experienced different forms of challenges in online learning during the pandemic. These various challenges experienced by students during online learning are shown in Table 1, 2 and 3
Face to face learning is more important than online learning

Summary

Introduction

The online learning has existed for more than a decade, the educational intuitions around the globe have shifted to online classes from the face-to-face classroom interaction more vigorously starting from the time when COVID-19 has affected all levels of global education systems. The online teaching has gained importance in the present time due to the COVID-19 pandemic because of social distancing measures and stay at home initiatives by governments to contain the spread of pandemic (Drucker & Fleischhauer, 2021; Kara & Gök, 2020). The schools in Bhutan began this unplanned shift from traditional learning to online classes overnight. The transformation of the national education system in Bhutan from traditional classroom to online as a result of the pandemic is an opportunity for existing unavoidable problems. The disruption in learning during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic turned into an opportunity to navigate teaching and learning during the pandemic and beyond (Hammond & Hyler, 2020)

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Conclusion