Abstract
Background: With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the education sector, globally, online learning has gained popularity to continue the education process both amongst students and teachers. Undergraduates in Sri Lanka have embraced the move with mixed reactions. Whilst some are economically stable to pursue their education using technology, there is a segment of the undergraduate population that is unable to afford devices due to their economic status. The aim of this study was to assess students’ attitudes towards online learning as well as their ability to engage with and adapt to the new normal educational developments that have been imposed on them.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational web-based survey design was used to recruit eligible participants from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, which is a state university situated in the Western province in Sri Lanka. A questionnaire with open ended questions was emailed to all the participants to collect data.
Results: The total population of 4761 Management Faculty students belonging to a plethora of management disciplines consented to take part in this online survey. This study revealed a significant correlation between undergraduates’ attitudes and online learning behaviour. In addition to that, it showed that their gender, living area, university level, prior experience and devices available have significant impact on the effectiveness of their online learning. The main obstacles to online learning were identified as unstable Internet connection, the lack of motivation, the lack of instructions and the lack of devices.
Conclusion: Most undergraduates had mixed feelings about online learning whilst being supportive of conventional classroom teaching and learning. Additionally, they were pessimistic about their chances of learning professional skills and core competencies online. Their inability to have uninterrupted access to data and their helplessness in being unable to purchase electronic devices, thus affecting their engagement ability, were seen as major impediments to the success of online learning. More research is required to determine whether undergraduates, especially in developing countries such as Sri Lanka, are ready and able to make greater use of online education in order to access high-quality learning opportunities.
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