Perceptions of Faculty and Students in Online Learning: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed how universities provide education -- teachers switched to online teaching methods, while students quickly adapted to the online learning environment. This study adopts the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to examine differences in student and faculty perceptions of online learning due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Student and faculty perceptions can be used to evaluate and ultimately improve the quality of education. This study used survey methods and data collection instruments with a Likert scale sample of 150 students and 150 faculty from a US university. This study’s results indicate a significant difference between perceptions of pedagogy, technology challenges, and difficulties in online Zoom courses. Furthermore, the authors provide practical implications for educators and administrators to navigate the rapid growth in online learning.