Exploring Online Learning in Higher Education, Perception and Challenges during the Era of Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

The present study explores the perception and challenges students in tertiary institutions face in online teaching and learning during the pandemic. The paper employs a qualitative approach to study the perceptions and challenges of students on online teaching and learning. Online Collaborative Learning was found to be the most suitable model to be used. A total of three-hundred students were selected for the study. Data was collected for a period of two months, from October-November, 2020. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in the selection of students from different universities. Findings of the study revealed that more than half (54%) of the students used the Learning Management Systems teaching and learning platform tool. The majority (52.7%) of the students agreed that they had internet distortion during the course of lectures. More than half (53.7%) of the students agreed that they could not access the internet due to a lack of data. There is a need for future studies to focus on all government and private tertiary institutions in Ghana. University authorities and the ministry of education should formulate post-COVID 19 strategies to promote online learning in the country.