WHAT DO STUDENTS LIKE ABOUT ONLINE TOOLS? AN EXPLORATION OF STUDENT PREFERENCES AND THE UNDERLYING REASONS

In this paper, we present the results of a quantitative survey on online learning carried out among 153 first-year students at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb in the academic year 2021/22. The classes were taught synchronously and interactively over 20 weeks using the Google Classroom learning management system (LMS). At the end of the period, students were asked to evaluate ten online tools and activities based on their perceived usefulness on 6-point Likert scales. Data on gender, general English proficiency and Business English grade were also obtained. The information collected was submitted for descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis. The paper presents the perceived usefulness of selected online tools and discusses the perceptions of usefulness across different sample subgroups. The defining features of online tools that influence student preferences are considered as well. Finally, the authors make suggestions and recommendations on how online tools can be beneficially incorporated into in-person classes and discuss some added benefits of using online tools, such as a possibility of tailoring teaching content to specific students’ needs.