Transitioning to Online Learning for Continuing Undergraduate Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world into lockdown. The usual face-to-face course delivery is not a feasible option for higher education institutions worldwide. Most of the education activities were switched to full online mode during this period. Current research focusses on various aspects of the transition from face-to-face to online learning and the challenges faced by students doing online learning for the first time. There is limited study that examines learning experience on continuing students, i.e., those with prior experience with online learning. The aim of this study is to examine students’ experiences and the role of educational technologies in the transition to online learning for continuing undergraduate students. We conducted a survey on 259 students pursuing a computer science degree. The targeted participants are those who are not doing full online learning mode for the first time. The results revealed that many students still feel the challenge in learning via full online mode. Their comfort level in using online learning tools, the internet speed, sharing of devices and disturbance during online classes, are the factors contributing to the challenges when doing online learning. Findings from this study provides insights on the role of educational technologies in supporting online learning.