Online learning challenges during a pandemic

Mayra Mojica Butler, Lecturer in the Business Department - Business & Accounting Unit

Introduction

Online learning challenges through online education in times of a pandemic is a demanding undertaking and presents immense challenges in education, particularly for students. Online teachers and students face many obstacles – and often several on the same day. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, and if you are new to teaching online or learner online, some of these obstacles can be rather difficult and

often overwhelming (Gillet-Swan,2017). The entire educational system had to make immediate changes to confront the advent of a pandemic and has changed classroom pedagogy and the process of learning in higher education (Bao, 2020). Since the beginning of March, 2020, Hostos Community College transitioned completely to online course delivery students felt lost and apprehensive. In Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 I collected survey data from my students to identify some of the challenges they faced in online classes and to document the uncertainty students experienced during the global pandemic.

Methodology

In Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, I gathered survey information from my students about how the change from face-to-face to online has impacted their learning and the challenges encountered throughout the semester. The instrument consisted of three survey questions and was completed by over 90 students in the accounting courses. The fundamental inquiry was to examine students’ experiences and challenges regarding the change from face-to-face to online course due to Covid19. The survey included following three questions:

1. How has the transition from face-to-face to online classes impacted the process

of learning?

1. What specific challenges were faced during the spring and fall 2020 semesters?
2. How has the transition during the pandemic impacted the learning process, i.e., course content delivery, engaging students, keeping students motivated?

I organized the responses by themes and found most of them fit into five obstacles to learning Meador identified (2019). According to Meador (2019) the obstacles are the following: 1. Disruptive Environment – Disruptions occur in many external and internal forms. Students and teachers have lives outside the walls of the school. 2. Lack of resources – A student’s effectiveness cannot help but be limited when they are not having the necessary resources to do their job effectively. For example, when they don’t have internet. 3. Time Is Limited – Teachers must maximize the time they have with their students. Every minute with them should matter. 4. Individual of Students – Every student is different. They have their own

unique personalities, interests, abilities, and needs. 5. Expectations in Flux – lack of stability creates nervousness, uncertainty, and an assurance that our students are being cheated in some aspect of their educations.

Results

Based on student responses many of the challenges were interrelated. In the first semester online, many students had the similar doubts, challenges, and questions. For the 80% (72 out of 90 respondents) the transition was difficult because we were in uncertain times and at the same time the way of taking classes changed. We changed from face to face to fully online suddenly and many students mentioned in the response that they didn’t have a computer and the concentration in the process of learning in the household was stressful. In the survey 70 out of 90 respondents (78%) listed some type of technological challenge from access to a stable Internet connection to having sound and video for Zoom classes. Also, the 62% (56 out of 90) answered that the lack of resources such as not having internet, or a computer made it difficult for them to meet the requirements of the courses. One of the

most challenging challenges that students mentioned was the distractions they have at home that don’t allow them to focus. Distractions are a fact of remote learning. For example, students noted that having a dog, small children, and other family members at home made it difficult for them to concentrate and fulfill all responsibilities at the same time. As a result of these distractions, and possibly having additional responsibilities, managing time becomes more challenging. The students asserted that taking classes online had not been easy, and they wanted instructors to understand that not every household environment is conducive to learning. This was due to changes in daily routine and the way we communicate. The communication was totally converted through email and video. In addition,

performance and academic performance decreased because of the situation that was experienced worldwide. On the other hand, many students had to put aside their studies for work, economic, mental health reasons and because they had to move out of state. It is interesting to observe in the results that despite the uncertainty

and how difficult the entire adaptation process was and has been, it is possible to perceive the desire to move forward and the resilience in everyone.

Many students from low-income families lack the basic technology they need to study online, including access to a laptop and a reliable broadband connection, along with a quiet place in which to work and complete assessments.

The following outlines the most common obstacles or difficulties that students have encountered, along with the challenges that students have faced, and how student learning is severely impacted by the coronavirus.

Using technology: One of the most important tools required to take online classes is access to technology and connection to a good Internet network. However, one

of the many challenges that students have had to face due to the sudden transition from face-to-face to online has been the interruptions in the Internet connection or service. Technology is also prone to problems and does not always work as

expected. In addition, many students have had to borrow a computer or buy one to meet the requirements of the classes. Not all of them have computers at home. This makes direct communication with them very difficult. Lack of Internet access may present a more difficult problem for some students. For many students, this is their first semester in college. Students commonly asserted that:

• “It was my first semester in college, and I didn’t know how to handle all the platforms.”
• “There were many times that I thought of dropping my classes due to the level of stress and anxiety experienced during remote learning.”
• “I have never worked with Blackboard Collaborate and other online virtual classroom platforms.”

Distractions: One of the challenges students have had to deal with is the distractions at home while taking classes online. Examples of distractions included television, cell phone, children, and family. This has contributed to the student being easily distracted. One of the students surveyed asserted that “…I really do not like classes online because I feel I don’t learn as much as in person, there’s too much distraction around me and there’s not a disconnection between home and school.” Most of the students stated that studying at home is not easy, especially if you do not have the appropriate environment. It is a challenge to concentrate when you have your family around. Students can face a difficult time succeeding in almost every area if they are not able to shut out distractions in their immediate environment. This is a great challenge for students because their focus tends to become fragmented.

Facelessness: Teaching online automatically makes you less visible than you would be in a traditional face-to-face environment. This can make students feel less connected with the instructor and raises the issue of how students perceive instructor presence in online courses, and how do online faculty demonstrate teaching presence in online instruction (Hemby, 2020). Students also assert that another difficulty is the limited contact with their classmates. In this respect, students also mention that one of the most annoying things is actually not having seen their classmates faces. Furthermore, students commented that “…it is a total challenge not being able to see teachers, meet them and generally interact with them; online courses are impersonal, and it is very difficult to create a student- teacher relationship. Likewise, due to the situation, we do not have the chance to meet our classmates, so in general we are alone with all the course workload.” This is a problem because in the virtual format, students can connect to the class but not necessarily be present, especially if they choose to not turn on their video

for privacy concerns or issues.

Feeling isolated and disconnected: A recent study by Crisostomo (2020) suggests that as a result of transition of classes from face-to-face to online, students are feeling more stressed, lacking motivation, and are struggling with minor mental health issues due to the isolation that online classes have brought on. In addition, things have not been easy at all for parents who have been left alone during this pandemic, and who have to continue working, studying for their courses, studying with the children, taking care of the household and other responsibilities. I perceive from students of online courses a lack of connection with their teachers. Hawke (2020) offers that “…school is not just about the curriculum, but the social aspect of connecting, and having relationships all be a part of the experience.” Furthermore, students say they have no physical interaction with their friends or with other people. It also generates stress because they feel disconnected and isolated from the college (Gillet-Swan, 2017).

Time management: Time management skills are an ongoing problem for online learners with career, study, and family commitments. A student in one of my courses stressed that homework was also time-consuming, requiring almost two hours to compute all the major and minor details of every topic. The student spent a considerable amount of time at work, with two face masks on, doing homework between customers and often spending 60 hours a week at work, not including travel time, and time spent sanitizing themselves before entering their home.

Effective time management requires students to analyze their workload, assign priorities, and maintain focus on productive endeavors. However, in the present environment, it has become most difficult to manage many of the activities and task that require our attention and still maintain a sense of balance with all other responsibilities.

Technical skills: Students are required to have basic technical skills to successfully navigate and complete online courses. However, many technical skills require training and practice to master. Yet, as a result of the sudden transition to

online classes, many students lack the basic skills to manage some programs or applications. Lack of knowledge of some programs and/or applications creates anxiety and sometimes uncertainty for students because everything is online. The assignments, projects and reports must be submitted through the specific program or platform being used. The student must know how to use Word, Google Drive, Excel, navigate the Internet, Blackboard Collaborate and most recently Zoom, among others. Having acquired the knowledge and skills to handle these types of applications make the process of learning easier and contributes to student success in the online environment (Aragon (2002). For some students it is the first time that they make use of these applications in the course. Another problem that affects the student and their learning is the issue of compatibility. If the computer version

the student has available is not compatible with the system in use in the course, they will not be able to open or view class material or submit their assignments. A number of institutions have addressed this issue to someextent by implementing

a “Student Loaner Program” where students are provided with a compatible computer on-loan on a semester-by-semester basis.

Lack of motivation: Due to the pandemic, some individuals may be experiencing a decline in their level of motivation because they are processing and are overwhelmed with a multitude of changes at the same time. A response that I receive practically daily is the lack of motivation and interest in fulfilling the requirements of the course. Students have expressed that the environment in the online classes have been very difficult and challenging, and they can’t wait to go back to normal face-to-face class meetings. They also add that they find it very difficult to stay focused during the class as compared to being in a classroom.

For many students, it is a struggle to create a balance between the online school environment and life at home, and communicating with their teachers online. The challenges of online learning in terms of supporting and engaging the ‘isolated learner’ can be overwhelming for a novice instructor (Gillet-Swan, 2017). A specific aspect that stands out in the data collected, is that students prefer to avoid or by-pass asking questions in the online class, preferring to remain passive during instructor-student interactions There is no doubt that the pandemic has created drastic changes in the student’s environment. Lack of motivation, and even low self-esteem – “I really can’t do this” - can directly impact student productivity and performance. The coronavirus has seriously and critically constrained or limited our lives in many unexpected ways, from freedom of movement to the way we work and congregate. These restrictions on our social norms or customs might contribute to a decline in motivation. These turbulent times is unlike anything any student or teacher has had to deal with. Improving or increasing motivation may prove to be difficult for students because they honestly feel overwhelmed and incapable of dealing with demands they face on a daily basis.

The major pedagogical challenges during this pandemic stem from the manner in which instructors seamlessly transfer their face-to-face course materials to the online environment. According to Choi and Park (2006), novice instructors find online courses involve a heavy workload, technology issues, and student–teacher

interaction. The challenge to effectively transfer what is taught in the face-to-face modality to online continues to be a problem because not all courses are designed to be taught online. Anderson, Imdieke, and Standerford (2011), assert that they identified one of the main challenges as the disconnect between the way teachers were taught to teach, and how the course content must be delivered in an effective online classroom environment. This disconnect, while not new, does present a problem as many of the teacher education programs may not have yet caught

up to the evolving online teaching environments. Another challenge outlined by

Anderson, et al., (2011) is the almost non-existence of institutional expectations for their online courses. These include expectations of teachers, students, courses, and staff.

Davis (1993) offers that students learn best when they are actively involved in their learning process. However, due to the transformation of education, the fact that the student is actively involved in learning has been a challenge for teachers because they have had to explore, examine and evaluate different alternatives in the teaching-learning process. Therefore, in this new and challenging educational environment, teachers have had to make adjustments in the evaluation process and teaching-learning pedagogy. The combination of creativity and flexibility has been key in the process of teaching-learning and evaluating students. “The ability of the instructor to communicate, form community, and deliver the appropriate

lesson effectively makes all the difference in student learning outcomes” (Kebritchi, Lipschuetz, & Santiague, 2017, p. 19).

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the widespread of the Covid19 pandemic has brought unprecedented educational disruption with 1.2 billion students and youths across the planet affected by school closures (UNESCO, 2020). The online classes have increased levels of safety because students are at home and are not

unnecessarily exposed to the Covid19 virus. However, it could still have an impact on students’ education. Teaching and learning online is a challenge, but when it is accompanied by a problem that has affected us all worldwide, the emotional and responsive part is changed or modified and, therefore, the teaching-learning process becomes much more difficult and challenging.

All students and teachers alike have been touched by the pandemic in one way or another. There are students who have lost relatives due to Covid19, others have lost their jobs and, in some cases, are now the sole source of income for their family.

On the other hand, the shift from working to studying online from home is another big challenge for family members because there may be more than two people using technology for work or school. This entails major sacrifices because you must share the same computer or incur additional expenses to meet work and educational demands. Learning empathy, respecting diversity and being able to recognize and challenge discrimination are key skills that young people need to prevent societies from becoming even more polarized (UNESCO, 2020).

This has been a year of great challenges and lessons for each of us. Education has been one of the sectors that has had the greatest impact worldwide. Online teaching- learning technology continues to play an important role during this critical period

in education. It is incumbent upon all of us to explore the full potential of online

teaching-learning technology, and seek to reinforce our skills to prepare us for future

online teaching challenges.

The coronavirus pandemic could very well reshape education in the immediate future and future generations (Giannini, 2020). The Covid19 has demonstrated to us the importance of building resilience and community to face great challenges, and how to quickly adapt to rapid technological change in the post-pandemic Covid19 world. Also, it presents an opportunity to remind us of the skills teachers

and students need in this unpredictable environment, skills such as decision-making, flexibility, empathy, emotional intelligence, creativity, and above all, adaptability in times of crisis.

References

Aragon, S. R., Johnson, S. D., & Shaik, N. (2002). The Influence of Learning Style Preferences on Student Success in Online Versus Face-to-Face Environments.

American Journal of Distance Education, 16(4), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.1207/ s15389286ajde1604_3

Bakir, N., Humpherys, S., & Dana, K. (2020, October). Students’ Perceptions of Challenges and Solutions to Face-to-Face and Online Group Work. https://files.eric. ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1258226.pdf

Bao, W. (2020). COVID ‐19 and online teaching in higher education: A case study of Peking University. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(2), 113–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.191

Crisostomo, S. (2020, November 6). Online classes may cause feelings of isolation. Philstar Global. https://www.philstar.com/online-classes-may-cause-feelings- isolation

Giannini, S., & Randolino, J. (2020, June 2). COVID-19 – Education is the bedrock of a just society in the post-COVID world. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://en.unesco.org/covid19

Gillett-Swan, J. (2017). The Challenges of Online Learning: Supporting and Engaging the Isolated Learner. Journal of Learning Design, 10(1), 20. https://doi. org/10.5204/jld.v9i3.293

Hemby, V. (2020). Teaching presence in online courses. Business Education Forum, 74(4), 46-49.

Kebritchi, M., Lipschuetz, A., & Santiague, L. (2017). Issues and Challenges for Teaching Successful Online Courses in Higher Education. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 46(1), 4–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239516661713 Meador, D. (2019, February 18). 7 Factors that Make Teaching So Challenging. Thought Co. https://www.thoughtco.com/factors-that-make-teaching-challenging- and-hard-4035989

UNESCO. (2020, March 13). COVID‐19 educational disruption and response. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://en.unesco. org/themes/education-emergencies/c