advantages and disadvantages of online classes research paper

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Perspective Chapter: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning Courses

Submitted: 26 December 2022 Reviewed: 16 February 2023 Published: 13 April 2023

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.1001343

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Digital education is an innovative incorporation of modern technology to assist the teaching learning process. During COVID-19, its urgent need was underscored. In recent years, education is not limited conventional classrooms and textbooks anymore. This chapter highlights that the learning process has become more interactive and appealing due to the emergence of the ever-evolving technology, including its limitations. It has become more accessible, leading to a greater convergence of digital and traditional teaching methods. Due to the advancement of technology, online learning and pieces training have benefits such as flexibility and student-centered learning, reduced costs and increased collaboration, navigation, and exchange of ideas, variety of courses and learning styles, career advancement opportunities, enhanced time management skills, and immediate feedback. On the other hand, it also has some disadvantages. Withdrawal and attrition, more time taking, easier procrastination, self-motivation, and self-engagement, online courses may create a sense of isolation and difficulty in preventing cheating, and prolonged screen exposure causes health problems. The experts’ given solutions on a national and international level to overcome the flaws must be discussed and the state should formulate educational policies to overcome these potential pitfalls and improve the quality of the online learning process.

• online learning
• disadvantages

Author Information

Sabila naseer *.

• Allied Sciences Department, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan

Hafiza Zahida Perveen

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Online learning is the use of diverse software to teach and instruct students and deliver content and skills out of traditional and conventional classroom teaching [ 1 ]. It refers to all the instructions which are delivered by the instructors electronically by using diverse Internet and multiplied platforms and applications. This term can be interchanged with e-learning, Web-based learning, computer-assisted instruction, Digital Learning, and Internet-based learning. It helps the students in their learning process and allows students to have greater control over their learning process in terms of time and place [ 2 ].

The COVID-19 pandemic forced all academic institutions to close their campuses and move didactic instruction online. However, the abrupt transition to online learning has raised several issues and its benefits that have’t been tried to be resolved. Although, several studies have investigated students’ attitude toward online learning during the pandemic, mixed results have been reported. Additionally, little research has been conducted to identify and understand the pros and cons, especially pedagogical factors that impacted students’ acceptance of online learning during campus closure. Furthermore, how online learning during the pandemic impacted students’ learning performance has not been empirically investigated. In March 2020, the universities, colleges, and school studied here moved didactic instruction online in response to government issued stay-at-home orders. This first-of-its-kind comparative study examined students’ perceived effectiveness of online courses during the summer quarter 2020, explored pedagogical factors impacting their acceptance of online courses, and empirically evaluated the impact of online learning on students’ course performance, during the pandemic [ 3 ].

The idea of online learning was started in 1990s to describe that learning can be managed by utilizing the developments in the field of technology. But the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has become part of the twenty-first century. Online learning was the only option during those days as all the academic institutions were closed because of lockdowns almost all across the world. It can be observed from the studies published during COVID-19 that several international journals have published a large number of academic studies focusing on online learning in higher education during this phase [ 4 ].

The online learning method is no less than the traditional method of learning. In a study, it was established that the online learning method was a successful and efficient way of learning for the accomplishment of academic requirements of students even though they were at a distance from their instructors and fellows. This distance learning was proved as efficient and effective as the traditional method was [ 5 ].

Although online learning has many advantages, it also has some challenges for students. It has made the process of learning for students much comfortable as they can have the material at any time as per their convenience. It gives them the flexibility to get engaged with the given task at a time of their own choice. However, it brings some drawbacks as students cannot have group or peer group studies. They cannot have class activities in real [ 6 ]. There are some other things that are also associated with online learning, that is, students have access to online educational courses organized by other countries, which saves their time, money, and effort. On the other hand, lack of Internet facility, network problems, lack of high-quality learning devices, and having little or no knowledge of the use of technical software or gadgets are problems linked to online learning which cannot be ignored [ 7 ].

Although online learning has its own advantages and disadvantages, it can be as effective as the traditional method if one has the skill about the use of technical sources/platforms, with surety of Internet facility and basic knowledge of computers. With the provided conditions, there was not a significant difference of student performance between online and face-to-face learning [ 8 ].

The purpose of present study is to highlight the importance of online learning. It also emphasized on the advantages and disadvantages associated with online learning. These days, online learning has become common for the purpose of some courses, diplomas, and even for higher studies. While considering the importance of online learning in present era, present study is aimed to highlight the pros and cons of online learning so that the students can learn to manage these things before going to be a part of such method of learning.

2. Objectives of the study

To seek the advantages of online learning.

To evaluate the disadvantages of online learning courses, especially during and after COVID-19.

Twenty-six most recent studies were selected for review to seek the advantages and disadvantages of online learning courses. A Systematic and Tripartite Approach (STA) (Daniel & Harland, 2017) guided the review process. The data were analyzed by content analysis.

Since the 1990s, online learning courses or pieces of training have been well-established in educational tertiary, and corporate training. Especially in higher education, online learning has been rapidly growing in recent years because of flexibility in schedules and ease of access [ 9 ]. In Pakistan, different institutions offer online education, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Virtual University of Pakistan, Preston University, COMSATS University, University of Peshawar, and British Trade Test Institute (BTTI), etc. [ 10 ]. In Pakistan, e-learning has become much more popularized in 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the public and private educational institutes were turned into an online mode of learning. Numerous efforts were made to enhance the quality of education by improving the excellence of faculty members, their lectures, and methods of virtual teaching. The higher Education Commission (HEC) also remained in touch with the telecommunication companies to ensure that Internet facilities are cheap for students [ 11 ]. To make the learning process smoother, particularly for online learning courses, different factors can affect, such as students’ satisfaction, teachers’ role, academic motivation, personality traits, and emotional intelligence [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. After systematically reviewing the empirical studies following advantages and disadvantages were concluded.

4.1 Advantages and disadvantages of online learning courses

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new ways of online learning, the whole world had to shift its educational system into the digital mode to educate its students. But in current times, it has emerged as an indispensable need of the day to teach and train students all over the world. Online learning is a new way to learn academic as well as co-curricular activities for students. It is also fruitful to train the workers in their free time if they are not available physically. In recent months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue to do so in the future. Learning within the online environment differs from the traditional classroom learning community. Unlike traditional classroom learning opportunities, online learning environments foster additional learning experiences where learners can interact, collaborate, and take ownership of their learning. However, it has its pros and cons.

4.2 Advantages of online learning courses

Studies indicated that online learning facilitates to ensure remote learning in different circumstances where physical or traditional classes are not possible. In different courses, online mode is easy, accessible, manageable, and convenient for learners to reach instructors and teaching material. However following advantages from the literature have been drawn.

4.3 Flexibility and student-centered learning

Flexibility and student-centered learning are one of the major advantages of online learning courses [ 15 ]. Lectures by the instructor can be scheduled according to the feasibility and availability of the students and teachers. It provides more autonomy in one’s decision-making and control over the learning process. The training can be arranged at the convenience of the workers by the boss. The noise can be managed, and distracters can be restricted easily. Students can be more responsible and can access the lectures and material easily when they are willing to learn.

4.4 Reduced costs and increased collaboration

Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Education can be expensive if the students have to travel to other cities, stations, or countries. But online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment that is more affordable while also being beneficial to the environment. Furthermore, they can also ask freely any kind of question to the instructors. They can get the opportunities to collaborate with the students and teachers comfortably on a national and international level which is impossible in the traditional classroom [ 16 ]. They can “talk” to each other and responds at their convenience.

4.5 Navigation and exchange of ideas

Navigation is another advantage of e-learning. With the help of the Internet, students can move from one document to another or one meeting to other in merely one sitting. The world has turned into Global Village, and one can access any person in the world just with one click. They are now easier and more comfortable exchanging their idea with each other at a global level rather than being limited to the classroom [ 17 ].

4.6 Variety of courses and learning styles

Another reason to support online courses is it has increased the options for education. Individuals who are working and unable to get admission in some particular education setup can enroll themselves in online programs and complete their degrees to improve their knowledge and profession. Furthermore, individual differences exist among the students. Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups. The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student [ 18 ].

4.7 Career advancement opportunities

Over the past few years, online learning has gained immense popularity. With more universities, training centers, and online learning platforms offering flexible virtual courses, employees now have a chance to improve their careers and maintain their professional edge. It does not provide different online professional degrees; a person can find many career advancement opportunities after getting a degree. The individual can be the master of their schedule and continue their study without any gap in one’s resume.

4.8 Enhanced time management skills

Online courses teach students how they should manage their time. Including flexibility, the students have to submit their assignments and assigned tasks on time without procrastination. So, students still need to manage their tasks within the given deadline by the professor or instructors. However, students can submit their assignment anytime before the deadline, as in the traditional classroom on the assigned day and time. As a result, the students sharpen their time management skills [ 19 ].

4.9 Immediate feedback

Integrating with online learning coursework, one can get immediate feedback rather than wait for days, weeks, or months. Students can submit their assigned tasks and upload their assignments. The professors will give the feedback so the students can get it quickly without any delay. By receiving sooner the feedback they can learn faster and be motivated toward their learning process. They can adjust their time for future assignment [ 20 ].

4.10 Disadvantages of online learning courses

We are now well aware of the advantages of online learning. But there are also some challenges associated with this method of learning. Following are some of the disadvantages of online classes:

4.11 Withdrawal and attrition

In online classes, students have no face-to-face interaction with their fellows; therefore, they will not have competitors to compete and complete the lectures or assignments while working on any of these. Hence, it can lead them to leave the course incomplete. It is more likely that they will withdraw from the online courses as compared to traditional on-campus courses. Murphy and Stewart [ 21 ] found in their comparative research between students of online and offline courses that more students (23%) withdraw from online courses rather than offline courses (18.4%). Schaeffer and Konetes [ 22 ] elucidated that students, who enrolled in an online course, dropped out of their course at a higher rate than students who were in the on-campus program. It is evident from these researches that the attrition rate is higher among online students as compared to the students of offline courses.

4.12 More time taking

Online classes also take more time than the traditional method for students and instructors. Instructors have to spend more time managing and uploading all the material for virtual classes, and students have to download and read all the relevant material rather than listening to the instructors in offline classes. Therefore, online classes consume more time; Bender et al. [ 23 ] stated that instruction time for their online course was almost the same as that of offline classes, but assessment and communication to students through email took more time than the offline class. They also added that online classes take more time because we had to prepare the instructors for online classes, especially for the development of IT skills and for the proper environment of online classes.

4.13 Easier to procrastinate

Students tend to procrastinate even in offline classes but when it comes to online classes, it becomes easier. Students will delay joining the classes, will skip class discussions, or remained incomplete assignments because there is no one to remind them about these activities. They are required to do all the activities on their own without any reminders from the instructors, as in offline classes. Elvers et al. [ 24 ] reported that the likelihood of procrastination was higher in virtual classes as students are prone to procrastinate more when they are not supposed to behave in a particular way for their learning.

4.14 Self-motivation and self-management; The only key to success

Online course classes need self-motivation and self-discipline so students can engage in the activities independently. A lack of self-motivation and self-management skills in a student will lead to failure in completing the online course. Bao [ 25 ] found that the usefulness of online learning depends on the student’s personality or personal attitude toward learning. Moreover, in online classes, students have more freedom and self-control over their online activities [ 25 ].

4.15 Online courses may create a sense of isolation

During online classes, a student has to study alone and the technological device has to be the companion of the student. This can be terrifying sometimes, especially for those who are social persons. Park [ 26 ] found that 22% of online learning students reported that they were feeling isolated and it became challenging for them to continue the course. Online class students feel a weaker sense of connectedness and belonging than on-campus students who attend each other in face-to-face classes [ 27 ].

4.16 Cheating prevention is complicated

Usually, students try to find ways to cheat even in the traditional method of learning where invigilators are present. It becomes easier for online courses as they have various ideas and ways to cheat during the online assessment. Digital cheating is a term used for the description of cheating that is done by using a computer or the Internet. In a traditional learning method, where a teacher is invigilating the class during the examination, a teacher has more control over students to stop them from cheating as compared to the online examination. Baker and Papp [ 28 ] investigated digital cheating and identified that there are different ways in which students use an online assessment. Dendir and Maxwell [ 29 ] explained that cheating takes place in an unsupervised assessment, and an online examination is an example of it. They added that there are many factors behind academic dishonesty.

4.17 Prolonged screen exposure can lead to health problems

For online classes, a student has to spend hours in front of the screen. This prolonged exposure can lead to many physical and psychological health problems. Recent research has clearly explained that there are some health risks associated to screen time. Wong [ 30 ] found that e-learning requires time but has some risk factors attached to an individual’s health, that is, brain development and well-being.

4.18 Online classes are not for computer illiterate persons

A student who does not have access to a computer, or the Internet and does not know how to use these; cannot get any benefit from online classes. Access to technology and the skill to use technology for learning are essential things. Link and Marz [ 31 ] suggested that some students, who were lacking in the essential skills to use web-based learning platforms competently, remained unsuccessful in online classes. According to this understanding, online classes are only useful for those who can use a computer or other technological devices [ 31 ].

5. Conclusions

The literature revealed numerous benefits and limitations of online learning courses. Flexibility and student-centered learning reduced costs and increased collaboration, navigation, and exchange of ideas, variety of courses and learning styles, career advancement opportunities, enhanced time management skills, and immediate feedback are the fundamental advantages of digital learning while it also has some disadvantages as withdrawal and attrition, more time taking, easier to procrastination, self-motivation, and self-engagement, online courses may create a sense of isolation, difficult to prevent cheating and prolonged screen exposure cause health problems.

Acknowledgments

Though I did not get any kind of funding from the institution still I acknowledge my work to my Institution University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan, where I get an environment to contribute to this chapter with other professional responsibilities. I acknowledge my work to my parents, teachers, and friends who always encouraged me to write some innovative for the community.

Conflict of interest

The authors have not declared any conflict of interest.

Notes/thanks/other declarations

I am thankful to my family and institution (University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan) that helped me to contribute to this chapter in the world’s best publisher. I am also thankful to the “IntechOpen” publisher and its team who gave me this opportunity and guided me on each step whenever I needed it.

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Advantages and disadvantages of online and face-to-face peer learning in higher education: a review.

1. Introduction

2. methodology.

• Which research studies on peer tutoring, assessment, and feedback directly compare the effectiveness of online and offline teaching and learning in the same study?
• Is there evidence of effectiveness, and if so, what proportion of this research is solely dependent on student and teacher perceptions, and how much of it uses other indicators?

3. Results: Cognitive Outcomes: Papers up to 2020

3.1. not at all experimental, 3.2. more rigorous research designs, 3.3. experimental studies, 4. results: the jongsma meta-analysis of online/offline peer feedback, 5. results: cognitive outcomes: papers after 2020, 5.1. non-experimental papers, 5.2. experimental paper, 6. results: socio-emotional outcomes, 7. discussion, 8. conclusions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Topping, K.J. Advantages and Disadvantages of Online and Face-to-Face Peer Learning in Higher Education: A Review. Educ. Sci. 2023 , 13 , 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040326

Topping KJ. Advantages and Disadvantages of Online and Face-to-Face Peer Learning in Higher Education: A Review. Education Sciences . 2023; 13(4):326. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040326

Topping, Keith James. 2023. "Advantages and Disadvantages of Online and Face-to-Face Peer Learning in Higher Education: A Review" Education Sciences 13, no. 4: 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040326

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• v.36(COVID19-S4); 2020 May

Advantages, Limitations and Recommendations for online learning during COVID-19 pandemic era

Khadijah mukhtar.

1 Khadijah Mukhtar, BDS, MME. Assistant Professor, DME. University College of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

Kainat Javed

2 Kainat Javed, MBBS, MME. Assistant Professor, DME. University College of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

Mahwish Arooj

3 Mahwish Arooj, MBBS, M. Phil, MME, PhD Physiology. Associate Professor, Physiology and Director DME, University College of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

Ahsan Sethi

4 Ahsan Sethi, BDS, MPH, MMEd, FHEA, MAcadMEd, FDTFEd, PhD Medical Education Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Professions Education and Research, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan

During COVID-19 pandemic, the institutions in Pakistan have started online learning. This study explores the perception of teachers and students regarding its advantages, limitations and recommendations.

This qualitative case study was conducted from March to April 2020. Using maximum variation sampling, 12 faculty members and 12 students from University College of Medicine and University College of Dentistry, Lahore were invited to participate. Four focus group interviews, two each with the faculty and students of medicine and dentistry were carried out. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Atlas Ti.

The advantages included remote learning, comfort, accessibility, while the limitations involved inefficiency and difficulty in maintaining academic integrity. The recommendations were to train faculty on using online modalities and developing lesson plan with reduced cognitive load and increased interactivities.

Conclusion:

The current study supports the use of online learning in medical and dental institutes, considering its various advantages. Online learning modalities encourage student-centered learning and they are easily manageable during this lockdown situation.

INTRODUCTION

The spread of COVID-19 has led to the closure of educational institutions all over the world. This tested the preparedness of universities to deal with a crisis that requires the help of advanced technology including hardware and software to enable effective online learning. Such closure accelerated the development of the online learning environments so that learning would not be disrupted. 1 Many institutions have become interested in how to best deliver course content online, engage learners and conduct assessments. Hence, COVID-19 while being a hazard to humanity, has evolved institutions to invest in online learning.

Online learning systems are web-based software for distributing, tracking, and managing courses over the Internet. 2 It involves the implementation of advancements in technology to direct, design and deliver the learning content, and to facilitate two-way communication between students and faculty. 3 They contain features such as whiteboards, chat rooms, polls, quizzes, discussion forums and surveys that allow instructors and students to communicate online and share course content side by side. These can offer productive and convenient ways to achieve learning goals. In Pakistan, the institutions are using Microsoft Teams, Google meet, Edmodo and Moodle as learning management systems along with their applications for video conferencing. 4 Other commonly used video conferencing solutions include Zoom, Skype for business, WebEx and Adobe connect etc.

According to our literature review, three previous studies were found, 5 - 7 supporting online learning from Pakistan. The two studies at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi and Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore reported high student satisfaction with online learning modalities. The study from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assessed the feasibility of online learning among students, trainees and faculty members. They reported good technology access, online skills, and preparedness for online discussions among participants across the medical education continuum.

With the increase in use of online modalities during COVID-19, it is necessary to assess their effectiveness with regards to teaching and learning from various stakeholders. 8 Therefore, the current study explores the perception of faculty members and students regarding the advantages, limitations and recommendations for online learning in Pakistan. The study is timely as Higher Education Commission (HEC) is in the process of implementing online learning across all the universities in Pakistan. The findings will help identify the required changes on priority basis to make it more practical and worthwhile.

This qualitative case study was conducted from March to April 2020 in two medical and dental institutes. Ethical approval for this study was taken from ethical review board of University of Lahore (Ref No. ERC/02/20/02, dated February 25, 2020). Using maximum variation sampling 12 faculty members and 12 students from University College of Medicine and University College of Dentistry, Lahore were invited to participate. In addition to learning management system ‘Moodle’, these colleges have recently adopted ‘Zoom’ for interactive teaching in small and large group formats. The participants were also involved in online Problem-Based Learning sessions, along with regular online assessments during COVID-19 pandemic.

An interview guide was developed to explore faculty and students’ perception about online learning modalities, its advantages, limitations and recommendations. The interview guide was piloted to ensure comprehensiveness and then also validated by two medical education experts. 9 Two interviewers who were not involved in teaching and assessment of students conducted four focus group interviews (n=6 in each group) with faculty members (n=12) and students (n=12) of medicine and dentistry. The faculty and students were from both basic sciences (1 st and 2 nd year) and clinical sciences (3 rd , 4 th and final year). All interviews were recorded through ‘Zoom’ and subsequently transcribed verbatim. The data were thematically analyzed: compiling, disassembling, reassembling and interpretation by all the authors independently and then corroborated to ensure analytical triangulation.

The faculty members were predominantly females from both basic and clinical sciences with age range from 30-64 years. The students were from all professional years of MBBS and BDS program ( Table-I ).

Participant characteristics.

Total six themes, two each for advantages, limitations and recommendations were extracted from the transcribed data after qualitative analysis ( Table-II ).

E-learning advantages, limitations and recommendations by Students and Faculty.

Faculty opined that online learning helped ensure remote learning, it was manageable, and students could conveniently access teachers and teaching materials. It also reduced use of traveling resources and other expenses. It eased administrative tasks such as recording of lectures and marking attendance. Both the students and teachers had an opinion that online learning modalities had encouraged student-centeredness during this lockdown situation. The student had become self-directed learners and they learnt asynchronously at any time in a day.

Limitations

Faculty members and students said that through online learning modalities they were unable to teach and learn practical and clinical work. They could only teach and assess knowledge component. Due to lack of immediate feedback, teachers were unable to assess students’ understanding during online lecturing. The students also reported limited attention span and resource intensive nature of online learning as a limitation. Some teachers also mentioned that during online study, students misbehaved and tried to access online resources during assessments.

Recommendations

Teachers and students suggested continuous faculty development. They recommended a reduction in cognitive load and increased interactivities during online teaching. Those in clinical years suggested ways to start online Case Based Learning. However, some were also of the opinion that there should be revision classes along with psychomotor hands on teaching after the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. To enhance quality, they suggested buying premium software and other proctoring software to detect cheating and plagiarism.

The current study reported advantages, limitations and recommendations to improve online learning during lockdown of institutions due to COVID-19 pandemic. This study interprets perspectives of medical/dental students and faculty members, which showed that online learning modalities are flexible and effective source of teaching and learning along with some pitfalls. According to the teachers and students, online learning is a flexible and effective source of teaching and learning as most of them agreed upon the fact that this helps in distant learning with easy administration and accessibility along with less use resource and time. Regardless of time limit, students can easily access the learning material. This flexibility over face to face teaching has been reported in the literature as well. 2 The students also become self-directed learners, which is an important competency for encouraging lifelong learning among health professionals. 10 , 11

Both the faculty members and students viewed inefficiency to teach psychomotor skills, resource intensiveness and mismanaged decorum during sessions as limitations of online learning. Even though, hands-on sessions such as laboratory and clinical skills teaching have been disrupted during COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that online simulated patients or role plays can be used teach history taking, clinical reasoning and communication skills. Sharing recorded videos of laboratory and clinical skills demonstration is also worthwhile. Faculty members also complained about lack of students’ feedback regarding understanding of subject. Research showed that regular two-way feedback helps enhance self-efficacy and motivation. 12 The interaction between facilitator, learner and study material along with emotional and social support are essential ingredients for effective learning. 13 , 14 Internet connectivity issues also adversely impacted learning through online modalities, however, simply improving internet package/speed would help resolve this. Government should also take immediate measures and telecommunication companies should invest in expanding its 4G services across the country.

Recommendations reflect that decorum can be maintained by thorough supervision of students, setting ground rules for online interaction, counselling and disciplinary actions. 15 According to students, the attention span during online learning was even shorter than face to face sessions as also supported by the literature. 16 This can be managed by using flipped classroom learning modalities, giving shorter lectures and increasing teacher-student interaction. As ‘assessment drives learning’, so online formative assessments can be conducted through Socrative and Kahoot etc. Faculty needs training and students orientation in using online learning tools. 17 Investment in buying premium software packages will also help overcome many limitations and is therefore recommended.

Limitations of the Study

As the study participants belonged to the medical and dental college from a single private-sector university of Punjab, therefore the findings are only applicable to similar contexts. For generalizability, a survey based on our findings should be conducted across the province or country. Despite the limitations, the findings offer an understanding of the advantages, limitations and recommendations for improvement in online learning, which is the need of the day.

The current study supports the use of online learning in medical and dental institutes, considering its various advantages. E-learning modalities encourage student-centered learning and they are easily manageable during this lockdown situation. It is worth considering here that currently online learning is at a nascent stage in Pakistan. It started as ‘emergency remote learning’, and with further investments we can overcome any limitations. There is a need to train faculty on the use of online modalities and developing lesson plan with reduced cognitive load and increased interactivities.

Author’s Contribution

AS and MA conceived the idea , designed the study and are responsible for integrity of research.

KM and KJ collected the data.

All the authors contributed towards data analysis and writing the manuscript and approved the final version.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the participants for their time and contributions.

Conflict of interest: None.

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• Published: 25 January 2021

Online education in the post-COVID era

• Barbara B. Lockee 1  

Nature Electronics volume  4 ,  pages 5–6 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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The coronavirus pandemic has forced students and educators across all levels of education to rapidly adapt to online learning. The impact of this — and the developments required to make it work — could permanently change how education is delivered.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to engage in the ubiquitous use of virtual learning. And while online and distance learning has been used before to maintain continuity in education, such as in the aftermath of earthquakes 1 , the scale of the current crisis is unprecedented. Speculation has now also begun about what the lasting effects of this will be and what education may look like in the post-COVID era. For some, an immediate retreat to the traditions of the physical classroom is required. But for others, the forced shift to online education is a moment of change and a time to reimagine how education could be delivered 2 .

Looking back

Online education has traditionally been viewed as an alternative pathway, one that is particularly well suited to adult learners seeking higher education opportunities. However, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has required educators and students across all levels of education to adapt quickly to virtual courses. (The term ‘emergency remote teaching’ was coined in the early stages of the pandemic to describe the temporary nature of this transition 3 .) In some cases, instruction shifted online, then returned to the physical classroom, and then shifted back online due to further surges in the rate of infection. In other cases, instruction was offered using a combination of remote delivery and face-to-face: that is, students can attend online or in person (referred to as the HyFlex model 4 ). In either case, instructors just had to figure out how to make it work, considering the affordances and constraints of the specific learning environment to create learning experiences that were feasible and effective.

The use of varied delivery modes does, in fact, have a long history in education. Mechanical (and then later electronic) teaching machines have provided individualized learning programmes since the 1950s and the work of B. F. Skinner 5 , who proposed using technology to walk individual learners through carefully designed sequences of instruction with immediate feedback indicating the accuracy of their response. Skinner’s notions formed the first formalized representations of programmed learning, or ‘designed’ learning experiences. Then, in the 1960s, Fred Keller developed a personalized system of instruction 6 , in which students first read assigned course materials on their own, followed by one-on-one assessment sessions with a tutor, gaining permission to move ahead only after demonstrating mastery of the instructional material. Occasional class meetings were held to discuss concepts, answer questions and provide opportunities for social interaction. A personalized system of instruction was designed on the premise that initial engagement with content could be done independently, then discussed and applied in the social context of a classroom.

These predecessors to contemporary online education leveraged key principles of instructional design — the systematic process of applying psychological principles of human learning to the creation of effective instructional solutions — to consider which methods (and their corresponding learning environments) would effectively engage students to attain the targeted learning outcomes. In other words, they considered what choices about the planning and implementation of the learning experience can lead to student success. Such early educational innovations laid the groundwork for contemporary virtual learning, which itself incorporates a variety of instructional approaches and combinations of delivery modes.

Online learning and the pandemic

Fast forward to 2020, and various further educational innovations have occurred to make the universal adoption of remote learning a possibility. One key challenge is access. Here, extensive problems remain, including the lack of Internet connectivity in some locations, especially rural ones, and the competing needs among family members for the use of home technology. However, creative solutions have emerged to provide students and families with the facilities and resources needed to engage in and successfully complete coursework 7 . For example, school buses have been used to provide mobile hotspots, and class packets have been sent by mail and instructional presentations aired on local public broadcasting stations. The year 2020 has also seen increased availability and adoption of electronic resources and activities that can now be integrated into online learning experiences. Synchronous online conferencing systems, such as Zoom and Google Meet, have allowed experts from anywhere in the world to join online classrooms 8 and have allowed presentations to be recorded for individual learners to watch at a time most convenient for them. Furthermore, the importance of hands-on, experiential learning has led to innovations such as virtual field trips and virtual labs 9 . A capacity to serve learners of all ages has thus now been effectively established, and the next generation of online education can move from an enterprise that largely serves adult learners and higher education to one that increasingly serves younger learners, in primary and secondary education and from ages 5 to 18.

The COVID-19 pandemic is also likely to have a lasting effect on lesson design. The constraints of the pandemic provided an opportunity for educators to consider new strategies to teach targeted concepts. Though rethinking of instructional approaches was forced and hurried, the experience has served as a rare chance to reconsider strategies that best facilitate learning within the affordances and constraints of the online context. In particular, greater variance in teaching and learning activities will continue to question the importance of ‘seat time’ as the standard on which educational credits are based 10 — lengthy Zoom sessions are seldom instructionally necessary and are not aligned with the psychological principles of how humans learn. Interaction is important for learning but forced interactions among students for the sake of interaction is neither motivating nor beneficial.

While the blurring of the lines between traditional and distance education has been noted for several decades 11 , the pandemic has quickly advanced the erasure of these boundaries. Less single mode, more multi-mode (and thus more educator choices) is becoming the norm due to enhanced infrastructure and developed skill sets that allow people to move across different delivery systems 12 . The well-established best practices of hybrid or blended teaching and learning 13 have served as a guide for new combinations of instructional delivery that have developed in response to the shift to virtual learning. The use of multiple delivery modes is likely to remain, and will be a feature employed with learners of all ages 14 , 15 . Future iterations of online education will no longer be bound to the traditions of single teaching modes, as educators can support pedagogical approaches from a menu of instructional delivery options, a mix that has been supported by previous generations of online educators 16 .

Also significant are the changes to how learning outcomes are determined in online settings. Many educators have altered the ways in which student achievement is measured, eliminating assignments and changing assessment strategies altogether 17 . Such alterations include determining learning through strategies that leverage the online delivery mode, such as interactive discussions, student-led teaching and the use of games to increase motivation and attention. Specific changes that are likely to continue include flexible or extended deadlines for assignment completion 18 , more student choice regarding measures of learning, and more authentic experiences that involve the meaningful application of newly learned skills and knowledge 19 , for example, team-based projects that involve multiple creative and social media tools in support of collaborative problem solving.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, technological and administrative systems for implementing online learning, and the infrastructure that supports its access and delivery, had to adapt quickly. While access remains a significant issue for many, extensive resources have been allocated and processes developed to connect learners with course activities and materials, to facilitate communication between instructors and students, and to manage the administration of online learning. Paths for greater access and opportunities to online education have now been forged, and there is a clear route for the next generation of adopters of online education.

Before the pandemic, the primary purpose of distance and online education was providing access to instruction for those otherwise unable to participate in a traditional, place-based academic programme. As its purpose has shifted to supporting continuity of instruction, its audience, as well as the wider learning ecosystem, has changed. It will be interesting to see which aspects of emergency remote teaching remain in the next generation of education, when the threat of COVID-19 is no longer a factor. But online education will undoubtedly find new audiences. And the flexibility and learning possibilities that have emerged from necessity are likely to shift the expectations of students and educators, diminishing further the line between classroom-based instruction and virtual learning.

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• Preethi Sheba Hepsiba Darius   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0882-6213 1 ,
• Edison Gundabattini   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4217-2321 2 &
• Darius Gnanaraj Solomon   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5321-5775 2  

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Online teaching–learning methods have been followed by world-class universities for more than a decade to cater to the needs of students who stay far away from universities/colleges. But during the COVID-19 pandemic period, online teaching–learning helped almost all universities, colleges, and affiliated students. An attempt is made to find the effectiveness of online teaching–learning methods for university and college students by conducting an online survey. A questionnaire has been specially designed and deployed among university and college students. About 450 students from various universities, engineering colleges, medical colleges in South India have taken part in the survey and submitted responses. It was found that the following methods promote effective online learning: animations, digital collaborations with peers, video lectures delivered by faculty handling the subject, online quiz having multiple-choice questions, availability of student version software, a conducive environment at home, interactions by the faculty during lectures and online materials provided by the faculty. Moreover, online classes are more effective because they provide PPTs in front of every student, lectures are heard by all students at the sound level of their choice, and walking/travel to reach classes is eliminated.

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Introduction

Critical thinking and creativity of students increase with innovative educational methods according to the world declaration on higher education in the twenty-first century [ 1 ]. Innovative educational strategies and educational innovations are required to make the students learn. There are three vertices in the teaching–learning process viz., teaching, communication technology through digital tools, and innovative practices in teaching. In the first vertex, the teacher is a facilitator and provides resources and tools to students and helps them to develop new knowledge and skills. Project-based learning helps teachers and students to promote collaborative learning by discussing specific topics. Cognitive independence is developed among students. To promote global learning, teachers are required to innovate permanently. It is possible when university professors and researchers are given space to new educational forms in different areas of specializations. Virtual classrooms, unlike traditional classrooms, give unlimited scope for introducing teaching innovation strategies. The second vertex refers to the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools for promoting innovative education. Learning management systems (LMS) help in teaching, learning, educational administration, testing, and evaluation. The use of ICT tools promotes technological innovations and advances in learning and knowledge management. The third vertex deals with innovations in teaching/learning to solve problems faced by teachers and students. Creative use of new elements related to curriculum, production of something new, and transformations emerge in classrooms resulting in educational innovations. Evaluations are necessary to improve the innovations so that successful methods can be implemented in all teaching and learning community in an institution [ 2 ]. The pandemic has forced digital learning and job portal Naukri.com reports a fourfold growth for teaching professionals in the e-learning medium [ 3 ]. The initiatives are taken by the government also focus on online mode as an option in a post-covid world [ 4 ]. A notable learning experience design consultant pointed out that, educators are entrusted to lead the way as the world changes and are actively involved in the transformation [ 5 ]. Weiss notes that an educator needs to make the lectures more interesting [ 6 ].

This paper presents the online teaching–learning tools, methods, and a survey on the innovative practices in teaching and learning. Advantages and obstacles in online teaching, various components on the effective use of online tools, team-based collaborative learning, simulation, and animation-based learning are discussed in detail. The outcome of a survey on the effectiveness of online teaching and learning is included. The following sections present the online teaching–learning tools, the details of the questionnaire used for the survey, and the outcome of the survey.

Online Teaching and Learning Tools

The four essential parts of online teaching [ 7 ] are virtual classrooms, individual activities, assessments in real-time, and collaborative group work. Online teaching tools are used to facilitate faculty-student interaction as well as student–student collaborations [ 8 ]. The ease of use, the satisfaction level, the usefulness, and the confidence level of the instructor is crucial [ 9 ] in motivating the instructor to use online teaching tools. Higher education institutes recognize the need to accommodate wide diverse learners and Hilliard [ 10 ] points out that technical support and awareness to both faculty and student is essential in the age of blended learning. Data analytics tool coupled with the LMS is essential to enhance [ 11 ] the quality of teaching and improve the course design. The effective usage of online tools is depicted in Fig.  1 comprising of an instructor to student delivery, collaboration among students, training for the tools, and data analytics for constant improvement of course and assessment methods.

The various components of effective usage of online tools

Online Teaching Tools

A plethora of online teaching tools are available and this poses a challenge for decision-makers to choose the tools that best suits the needs of the course. The need for the tools, the cost, usability, and features determine which tools are adopted by various learners and institutions. Many universities have offered online classes for students. These are taken up by students opting for part-time courses. This offers them flexibility in timing and eliminates the need for travel to campus. The pandemic situation in 2019 has forced many if not all institutions to completely shift classes online. LMS tools are packaged as Software as a Service (SaaS) and the pricing generally falls into 4 categories: (i) per learner, per month (ii) per learner, per use (iii) per course (iv) licensing fee for on-premise installation [ 12 ].

Online Learning Tools

Online teaching/learning as part of the ongoing semester is typically part of a classroom management tool. GSuite for education [ 13 ] and Microsoft Teams [ 14 ] are both widely adopted by schools and colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic to effectively shift regular classes online. Other popular learning management systems that have been adopted as part of blended learning are Edmodo [ 15 ], Blackboard [ 16 ], and MoodleCloud [ 17 ]. Davis et al. [ 18 ] point out advantages and obstacles for both students and instructors about online teaching shown in Table 1 .

The effectiveness of course delivery depends on using the appropriate tools in the course design. This involves engaging the learners and modifying the course design to cater to various learning styles.

A Survey on Innovative Practices in Teaching and Learning

The questionnaire aims to identify the effectiveness of various online tools and technologies, the preferred learning methods of students, and other factors that might influence the teaching–learning process. The parameters were based on different types of learners, advantages, and obstacles to online learning [ 10 , 18 ]. Questions 1–4 are used to comprehend the learning style of the student. Questions 5–7 are posed to find out the effectiveness of the medium used for teaching and evaluation. Questions 8–12 are framed to identify the various barriers to online learning faced by students.

This methodology is adopted as most of the students are attending online courses from home and polls of this kind will go well with the students from various universities. Students participated in the survey and answered most of the questionnaire enthusiastically. The only challenge was a suitable environment and free time for them to answer the questionnaire, as they are already loaded with lots of online work. Students from various universities pursuing professional courses like engineering and medicine took part in this survey. They are from various branches of sciences and technologies. Students are from private universities, colleges, and government institutions. Figure  2 shows the institution-wise respondents. Microsoft Teams and Google meet platforms were used for this survey among university, medical college, and engineering college students. About 450 students responded to this survey. 52% of the respondents are from VIT University Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 23% of the respondents are from CMR Institute of Technology (CMRIT), Bangalore, 15% of the respondents are from medical colleges and 10% are from other engineering colleges. During this pandemic period, VIT students are staying with parents who are living in different states of India like Andhra, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, MP, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Andaman, and so on. Only a few students are living in Tamil Nadu. Some of the students are staying with parents in other countries like Dubai, Oman, South Africa, and so on. Some of the students of CMRIT Bangalore are living in Bangalore and others in towns and villages of Karnataka state. Students of medical colleges are living in different parts of Tamil Nadu and students of engineering colleges are living in different parts of Andhra Pradesh. Hence, the survey is done in a wider geographical region.

Institution-wise respondents

Figure  3 shows the branch-wise respondents. It is shown that 158 students belong to mechanical/civil engineering. 108 respondents belong to computer science and engineering, 68 students belong to medicine, 58 students belong to electrical & electronics engineering, and electronics & communication engineering. 58 students belong to other disciplines.

Branch-wise respondents

Questionnaire Used

Students were assured of their confidentiality and were promised that their names would not appear in the document. A list of the questions asked as part of the survey is given below.

Questionnaire:

Sample group: B Tech students from different branches of sciences across various engineering institutions and MBBS medical students.

Which of the methods engage you personally to learn digitally ?

Individual assignment

Small group (No. 5 students) work

Large group (No. 10 students and more) work

Project-based learning

Which of the digital collaborations enables you to work on a specific task at ease

Two by two (2 member team)

Small group workgroup (No. 5 students) work

Which of the digital approaches motivate you to learn

Whiteboard and pen

PowerPoint presentation

Digital pen and slate

My experience with online learning from home digitally

I am learning at my own pace comfortably

My situational challenges are not suitable

I can learn better with uninterrupted network connectivity

I am distracted with various activities at home, viz. TV, chatting, etc.

Which type of recorded video lecture is more effective for learning ?

delivered by my faculty

delivered by NPTEL

delivered by reputed Overseas Universities

delivered by unknown experts

Which type of quiz is more effective for testing the understanding?

Traditional—pen and paper—MCQ

Traditional—pen and paper—short answers

Online quiz—MCQ

Online quiz—short answers

Student version software downloaded from the internet is useful for learning

Unable to decide

Online teaching – learning takes place effectively because:

Every student can hear the lecture clearly

PPTs are available right in front of every student

Students can ask doubts without much reservation

Students need not walk long distances before reaching the class

Which of the following statements is true of online learning off-campus ?

No one disturbs me during my online learning.

My friend/family member/roommate/neighbor occasionally disturb me

My friend/family member/roommate/neighbor constantly disturb me

At home/place of residence, how many responsibilities do you have?

I don’t have many responsibilities.

I have a moderate amount of responsibilities, but I have sufficient time for online learning.

I have many responsibilities; I don’t have any time left for online learning.

What is your most preferred method for clearing doubts in online learning?

Ask the professor during/after an online lecture

Post the query in a discussion forum of your class and get help from your peers

Go through online material providing an additional explanation.

Which of the following devices do you use for your online learning?

A laptop/desktop computer

A smartphone

Other devices

Outcome of the survey

Students would prefer to work in a group of 5 students to engage personally in digital learning as seen from Fig.  4 .

Personal engagement in digital learning

Digital collaboration to enable students to work at ease on a specific task is to allow them to work in small groups of 5 students as seen in Fig.  5 .

Digital collaboration to enable students to work at ease

Animations are found to be the best digital approach motivating many students to learn as seen in Fig.  6 .

Digital approaches that motivate students to learn

The online learning experience of students is shown in Fig.  7 . The majority of students have said that they can learn at their own pace comfortably through online learning.

The online learning experience of students

The effectiveness of the recorded video lecture is shown in Fig.  8 . The majority of students agree that the video lectures delivered by his/her faculty teaching the subject help students to learn effectively.

More effective recorded video lecture

Online quiz having multiple-choice questions (MCQ) is preferred by most of the students for testing their understanding of the subject as seen in Fig.  9 .

More effective quiz for testing the understanding

The usefulness of the student version of the software downloaded from the internet is shown in Fig.  10 . 45.7% of the students agree that it is useful for learning whereas 45.2% of them are unable to decide. The rest of the students feel that the student version of the software is not useful.

The usefulness of the student version of the software

The reasons for the effectiveness of online teaching–learning are shown in Fig.  11 . The majority of the students, feel that the PPTs are available right in front of every student so that following the lecture makes the learning effective. In universities where a fully flexible credit system (FFCS) is followed, students need to walk long distances for reaching their classrooms. Day Scholars in universities as well as engineering colleges are required to travel a considerable distance before reaching the first-hour class. According to many students, online learning is more effective since walking/traveling is completed eliminated. If the voice of the faculty member is feeble, students sitting in the last few rows of the class would not hear the lecture completely. Some students feel that online learning is more effective since the lecture is reaching every student irrespective of the number of students in a virtual classroom.

Reasons for the effectiveness of online teaching–learning

50.3% of students agree that they do not have any disturbance during online learning and it is more effective. Many of them feel that occasionally their friends or relatives disturb students during their online learning as shown in Fig.  12 .

Disturbances during online learning

Figure  13 shows the environment at home for online learning. 76.9% of the respondents stated that they have a moderate amount of responsibilities at home but they have sufficient time for online learning. 16.1% of them have said that they do not have many responsibilities whereas 7% of them claimed that they have many responsibilities at home and they do not have any time left for online learning.

The environment at home for online learning

Figure  14 shows the methods adopted for clearing doubts in online learning. 43.2% of the respondents ask the Professor and get their doubts clarified during online lectures. 25.5% of them post queries in the discussion forum and help from peers. 31.3% of them go through the online materials providing additional explanation and get their doubts clarified.

Methods adopted for clearing doubts in online learning

Figure  15 shows the devices used by students for online learning. Most of the students use laptop/desktop computers, many of them use smartphones and very few students use tablets.

Devices used for online learning

The association between responses 1 and 2 is tested using the chi-square test. The results are presented in Table 2 which shows the observed cell totals, expected cell values, and chi-square statistic for each cell. It is seen that association exists between several responses between questions.

The observed cell values indicate that the highest association is found between responses 1b and 2b since both these responses are related to a small working group having 5 members. The lowest association is found between the responses of 1c and 2a having the lowest observed cell value and expected cell value. The reason for this is response 1c shows the work done by a 10 member team and the response 2a shows a two-member team. The chi-square statistic is 65.6025. The p value is < 0.00001. The result is significant at p  < 0.05.

The outcome of a survey on the effectiveness of innovations in online teaching–learning methods for university and college students is presented. About 450 students belonging to VIT Vellore, CMRIT Bangalore, Medical College, Pudukkottai, and engineering colleges have responded to the survey. A questionnaire designed for taking is survey is presented. The chi-square statistic is 65.6025. The p value is < 0.00001. The result is significant at p  < 0.05. Associations between several responses of questions exist. The survey undertaken provides an estimate of the effectiveness and pitfalls of online teaching during the online teaching that has been taking place during the pandemic. The study done paves the way for educators to understand the effectiveness of online teaching. It is important to redesign the course delivery in an online mode to make students engaged and the outcome of the survey supports these aforementioned observations.

The outcome of the survey is given below:

A small group of 5 students would help students to have digital collaboration and engage personally in digital learning.

Animations are found to be the best digital approach for effective learning.

Online learning helps students to learn at their own pace comfortably.

Students prefer to learn from video lectures delivered by his/her faculty handling the subject.

Online quiz having multiple-choice questions (MCQ) preferred by students.

Student version software is useful for learning.

Online classes are more effective because they provide PPTs in front of every student, lectures are heard by all students at the sound level of their choice, and walking/travel to reach classes is eliminated.

Students do not have any disturbances or distractions which make learning more effective.

But for a few students, most of the students have no or limited responsibilities at home which provides a good ambiance and a nice environment for effective online learning.

Students can get their doubts clarified during lectures, by posting queries in discussion forums and by referring to online materials provided by the faculty.

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Darius, P.S.H., Gundabattini, E. & Solomon, D.G. A Survey on the Effectiveness of Online Teaching–Learning Methods for University and College Students. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. B 102 , 1325–1334 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-021-00581-x

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Received : 10 August 2020

Accepted : 18 March 2021

Published : 05 April 2021

Issue Date : December 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-021-00581-x

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