Factors in Evaluating Online Learning in Higher Education in the Era of a New Normal Derived from an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Based Survey in South Korea

Yoon Y Cho,Hyunju Woo

doi:10.3390/su14053066

Abstract

Before COVID-19, online learning in higher education was more of a choice than a requirement. The majority of universities in South Korea are currently not utilizing an evaluation index tailored specifically to online courses and are instead using the traditional in-person class evaluation standards. The study, hence, examines the factors that could be used to evaluate the quality of online learning in higher education taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of views of the main subjects of online education: e-learning system administrators, instructors, and students. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was used to determine the relative importance of factors in evaluating online learning. The conclusions derived from this research can be used as foundational material for evaluation factors of online learning in higher education.

Highlights

Before COVID-19, online learning in higher education was more of a choice than a requirement
While changes made due to the COVID-19 pandemic were considered temporary, online learning in higher education has continued for two years
This study examines the perceptions they have of online classes at the university level and how such perceptions may differ, which will inform the relative importance of various factors included in the evaluation index of online classes

Summary

Introduction

Before COVID-19, online learning in higher education was more of a choice than a requirement. The study, examines the factors that could be used to evaluate the quality of online learning in higher education taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of views of the main subjects of online education: e-learning system administrators, instructors, and students. From a sustainable educational design perspective, campus-based education and online education must blend seamlessly and, above all, digital technologies and approaches pioneered in flexible distance education must play a continuing and expanding role [5]. In response to these changes, this study focuses on examining online evaluation standards which can apply to a sustainable learning solution. The role of e-learning system administrators, instructors, and

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