Identifying Students’ Needs Towards the Provision of Social Support in Online Learning

Juhazren Junaidi,Zaidatun Tasir

doi:10.47405/mjssh.v6i10.1082

Abstract

Social support has been found to play an important role in retaining learning and contribute to better understanding and performance among students. This study aims to determine the needs and requirements of learners or students towards the provision of social support in online learning. Random sampling technique was used to select 10 students enrolled in an ICT-based course at one of Malaysian university as respondents. The instrument for this study was a semi-structured interview questions adapted from the works of Sarason et al. (1987). Thematic analysis was performed on the transcribed interview to allow visual interpretation and understanding of the context from each response. This study found that the students had often received and prefer to get social support while learning online. The reasons for their preference were for motivation, understanding, information searching and affirmation. The students were also identified to have preference for social support from the instructor more than from peers and the learning content. Overall, Informational Support is the most expected type of social support by the students. This study provides findings that would assist in the provision of social support through the design and development of an online learning environment.

Highlights

Learning has become more cost effective and convenient through online learning, apart from the ability to perform learning asynchronously while being at the different time and place as the instructor (Richardson & Swan, 2003; Paechter, Maier & Macher, 2009)
One of the objectives of this study is to confirm the participants are aware of online social support and their preference towards the support
The students were found to have preference for receiving social support while learning online. They were satisfied with the online social support that they have received

Summary

Introduction

Learning has become more cost effective and convenient through online learning, apart from the ability to perform learning asynchronously while being at the different time and place as the instructor (Richardson & Swan, 2003; Paechter, Maier & Macher, 2009). Moore and Kearsley (2011) stated that online learning provides access to a richer learning environment and a more structured learning and dialogue through interaction using ICT. It can be understood that the participation of teachers or instructors and their students in an online interaction allows the formation of understanding enable learning to occur. Cognition or thinking process in learning could be achieved by engaging the environment and exploiting the various resources around it (Pea, 2004). The learners require interaction with others, whether human or non-human (Hill, Song & West, 2009) through online learning which will enhance the students' cognitive development when they work together in a collaborative environment (GomezLanier, 2018; Brook & Oliver, 2002). The form of usability that was brought into learning through online learning had shifted the overall teaching and learning process and opened a wide area to www.msocialsciences.com

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