S SATISFACTION IN USING GRAMCHQ (GRAM-CHECKED) FOR ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our education system whereby the largest online movement in the history of education was witnessed and the way lessons were delivered was reshaped. The effectiveness of this shift, from the use of traditional white boards to electronic screens is worth investigating, especially from the viewpoint of first year undergraduates as they transitioned from secondary education to tertiary education. This paper presents the acceptance of using GramCHQ (Gram-Checked) in learning English among the first-year Diploma undergraduates. GramCHQ, which was designed after taking into consideration various obstacles faced by students when doing ODL, is a series of engaging and interactive E grammar lessons. These lessons, which were specifically designed for Integrated Language Skills 1 (ELC121), consist of brainstorming sessions, lesson introduction, lesson presentations, practices, language games as well as self-evaluation. The objectives of the study were to identify the perceptions of students towards lessons conducted using GramCHQ and elicit their feedback on the effectiveness of GramCHQ lessons. A total of 97 students from four different Diploma programs participated in this study. They were guided on how to use GramCHQ before being asked to experience the lesson themselves. After the lesson, they were asked to fill in e-questionnaires designed in Google Form. The findings from the survey revealed that participants reacted positively to GramCHQ with a high satisfaction level (m=4.12). In addition, high responses (m>3.80) were obtained in terms of GramChQ’s interest, relevance, presentation, technology, enjoyment, memorization and future demand. GramCHQ is an effective medium for Online Distance Learning as its low bandwidth caters to a larger population as well as engage its learners’ interests with its interactive game based learning approach. Findings from this study provide a basis for educators to plan effective online teaching strategies for digital classrooms.