The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Online Learning: A Research Report

This report, prepared by Low Zhi Lok, Lee Kai Mun, and Lee Hui Rong under the guidance of Dr. Chee Chin Hoong, investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online learning, focusing on students, teachers, and staff within the context of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College. The study, based on a survey of 107 students, explores the use of e-learning platforms like Google Meet and Zoom, and analyzes the challenges and satisfaction levels associated with online learning. Key findings address stress levels, assignment completion, time spent on distance education, technology challenges, and fear during the pandemic. The research aims to maintain student enthusiasm for online learning and concludes that students spent an average of 3 to 5 hours a day in online classes, potentially affecting their knowledge absorption. The report includes an abstract, literature review, methodology, results, discussions, conclusions, recommendations, and references, providing a comprehensive overview of the shift to online learning during the pandemic.

The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Online
Learning
Course Code: BACS2042
Course Title: Research Methods
Program Code: RSD
Tutorial Group: 6
Session: 202105
Academic Year: 2021
Tutor’s Name: Chee Chin Hoong
Student Name ID
Low Zhi Lok 21AMR05450
Lee Kai Mun 21AMR08308
Lee Hui Rong 21AMR00965
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Table of Contents
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................3
Keywords...............................................................................................................................................4
1.0 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Problem Statement............................................................................................................................5
1.2 Research Objectives...........................................................................................................................5
1.3 Research Questions...........................................................................................................................6
1.4 Research Hypotheses / Sub-Objectives.............................................................................................6
1.5 Assumption........................................................................................................................................6
2.0 Literature Review.............................................................................................................................7
3.0 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................................9
3.1 Data Collection Method.....................................................................................................................9
3.2 Data Analysis Method........................................................................................................................9
4.0 Research Instrument / Data Collection...........................................................................................10
4.1 Questionnaire..................................................................................................................................10
5.0 Validity and Reliability Consideration.............................................................................................13
5.1 Questionnaire..................................................................................................................................13
6.0 Sampling.........................................................................................................................................14
6.1 Questionnaire..................................................................................................................................14
7.0 Results and Discussions..................................................................................................................14
8.0 Conclusions....................................................................................................................................18
9.0 Recommendation for Further Research Work................................................................................18
10.0 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................19
11.0 References....................................................................................................................................19
12.0 Appendix......................................................................................................................................20
Research schedule................................................................................................................................30
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THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ONLINE
LEARNING
LOW ZHI LOK, LEE KAI MUN, LEE HUI RONG AND DR.CHEE CHIN HOONG
Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Kampar,
Malaysia
[e-mail], [e-mail], leehr-
[e-mail], [e-mail]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has become a threat to humanity, as the spread of the coronavirus has led
to the closure of many institutions as well as many economic, social, and educational activities. In order
not to stop the educational process, various educational institutions including entire world of university,
college, school or company that they have moved to remote electronic education methods (e-learning)
instead of the well-known traditional education system. This study aims to determine how entire world of
student, teacher and staff are facing the use of e-learning by impact of Covid-19. An online survey was
conducted using a questionnaire that was sent to the entire world of university, school, college or
company to determine the most important that they are facing their e-learning because of the impact by
Covid-19 pandemic. The total number of student respondents we collected from the survey is 107
students, including 57 male students and 50 female students. Analysis of the responses demonstrated the
categories of e-learning tools platform they are using in popular which is Google Meet, the percentage of
using the Google Meet for their e-learning is 76.5%. Also, the e-learning platform that good enough to
use is Google Meet, the percentage is the highest which is 74.5%, followed by Zoom which is 31.6%. The
findings show that the following areas are important for students’ satisfaction with online learning, these
areas are level of stressful, difficulty part of completing schoolwork, time spent on distance education a
day, level of preference for online learning, challenge level of the use distance learning technology,
connection problem of accessing schoolwork, the level of fear of learning during Covid-19, types of
learning methods and so on. The objectives of the present study were to maintain the enthusiasm of
students so that they can maintain their enthusiasm for online learning even in the pandemic era COVID-
19. Conclusion, nearly half of students have spent an average of 3 to 5 hours a day in online classes. This
will lead to a decline in students' absorptive capacity and ability to absorb knowledge.
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Keywords
Pandemic Covid-19, Online learning, Student, face-to-face, study
1.0 Introduction
The global pandemic of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019 cause by Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). The COVID-19 has severely affected people’s lives and the
countries’ economy. As a result, COVID-19 has become an epidemic, and a total of 205 countries around
the word have been attacked until to now. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics and
data analysis until 15 July 2021 recorded there have been 187,827,660 confirmed cases and 4,055,497 of
deaths. Moreover, World Health Organization (WHO) also data analysis until 13 July 2021 has a global
total of 3,400,884,367 vaccine does have been administered.
The COVID-19 virus is major spread through the air, mouth and nose secretions include coughing,
sneezing and respiratory droplets produced when talking. Thus, people need to strengthen and learning
how to preventive measures including washing hands, frequently, wearing masks in the public places,
maintaining social distancing, self-isolation, indoor ventilation and so on. COVID-19 case in Malaysia
the data analysis until 15 July 2021 recorded 880,782 the case of confirmed, 6,613 of deaths and
12,647,558 of vaccine does have been administered.
The attack of COVID-19 also brings great challenges to the Ministry of Education especially higher
education. Because of the increasing number of new cases most student is unable to return to school.
Therefore, the Ministry of Education began to implement online teaching to allow students to stay at
home and study safely to avoid contracting COVID-19. In additional, in the pandemic word of the E-
Learning technologies tools evolves rapidly effected by Covid-19. E-Learning technologies strategies is
purpose to reduce the spread of the Covid-19. The Covid-19 epidemic has a big impact on education as
everyone needs to be socially distanced and stay indoors thus the traditional education method has been
rapidly replaced by e-learning across international academic institutes. The changes to all School
education system in entire world had identified that use of video conferencing, online teaching and
multimodal learning was effective. However, e-learning system is a big challenge for many developing
countries and developed countries such as they cannot depend on e-learning system entirely due to several
issues. This includes some family lack of economy to buy a computer and Wi-Fi for their children E-
Learning, poor internet connection, novice (zero knowledge) uses the E-Learning system and skill of
using technologies by students and teachers. The F2F (Face to Face) learning has been replaced to E-
Learning or blended learning during this Covid-19 pandemic by the academic institution with different
responses across the world.
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Online teaching and learning also brings challenges and influence to teachers and students. Some
students cannot use the applications for the online teaching so let them brings many problems and trouble.
Also have some students cannot understand or learning the teacher’s explanation for online teaching.
Renewal of policy learning from home online gives impact to the all school, teachers and students.
The purpose of the study to determine the impact of a pandemic COVID-19 against the process of online
learning. Based on the description above, the researcher conducted a survey to see the impact of a
pandemic COVID-19 against the process of online learning all school in Malaysia.
1.1 Problem Statement
When COVID-19 strikes, people are increasingly afraid and worried about contracting COVID-19.
Therefore, in this condition requires people to stay at home, work, worship, and study at home
(Jamaluddin et al.2020).
With the advent of COVID-19 the Ministry Education will use online learning to allow students to stay at
home and not delay their studies. Besides that, the use of remote technology can make use of the college’s
Internet network for online learning facilities. Use technology to facilitate lectures by students and
teachers, even in different places. Some online platforms currently in use include unified communications
and collaboration platforms, such as Google Classroom, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and
others allow teachers to create courses, training and skills development plans (Petrie, 2020). Besides that,
they include workplace chat video conferencing, and file storage options make the course organized and
easy to work.
Based on the online learning began to be implemented on 1 April 2020, causing problems when teachers
and students are not accustomed to using profitable online learning, especially related to the operating
technology of online learning using program models. Furthermore, in the online learning of the teachers
during the pandemic some attention, such as how to practice, what the application is used and what is the
learning strategy can be done very well.
Thus, we want to research the problem statement is a it is not possible to ensure that students listen to the
class carefully and absorb the knowledge and information shared by the lecturer. Moreover, there is no
guarantee that students will use online learning tools in the classroom. In addition, online learning cannot
ensure that students and team members can complete assignments and communicate together. Lastly, the
online learning applications or WIFI cannot be kept barrier- free and problems are in online learning.
1.2 Research Objectives
We have many research objectives of the COVID-19 on online learning. Firstly, to maintain the
enthusiasm of students so that they can maintain their enthusiasm for online learning even in the
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pandemic era COVID-19. Besides that, to determine whether students are satisfied in online learning.
Moreover, to ensure the students can effectively complete the assignment or homework assigned by the
teachers. Furthermore, to measure the effective methods use of online learning by students. In addition, to
determine that students can be complete their studies while staying at home. Lastly, to identity efficient
online learning program to improve student efficiency.
1.3 Research Questions
We have found the many research question for COVID-19 on online learning. Firstly, what challenges do
students face on online learning? Besides that, what is the impact of online learning on students? How
stressful is online learning for the students? In addition, how do the students complete their assignment
and homework to efficiently? Lastly, what is provided by the schools through online learning or using
tools others that have been mastered by students?
1.4 Research Hypotheses / Sub-Objectives
Hypothesis 1: Online learning at home has seriously affected students’ learning progress.
Hypothesis 2: The technical problem of the applications program affects students’ online learning.
Hypothesis 3: The distance teaching is a very stressful and headache problem for student.
Hypothesis 4: The student needs to spend more time for studying online every day.
Sub-objective 1: To enable students to be as focused as traditional face-to-face on online learning.
Sub-objective 2: Most of the people will be missing teachers say the key points because their application
or Wi-Fi have some problem.
1.5 Assumption
In this research assumption, our research to aimed at students of online study. Furthermore, the
geographic scope of our research is all schools in Malaysia such as secondary school, primary school,
college, and university. In addition, this study will use exploratory analysis requirements. Moreover, the
targeted age range for the research is between 7 to 30 years old.
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2.0 Literature Review
Currently education situation during the COVID-19. The ministry of education uses online teaching to
continue teaching without delaying students’ academic progress. As the COVID-19 pandemic is getting
worse, the lockdown and social distancing measures have led to the closure of school and higher
education facilities. Therefore, the Ministry of Education has provided online teaching so that student can
use various online platforms. Online learning, distance, and continuing education have become a panacea
for this unprecedented global pandemic. So, it poses a challenge to both lecturers and students. Changing
from traditional face-to-face education to online learning may be a different experience for students and
lecturers. Moreover, they must also adapt to this alternative to traditional teaching. The education system
and Educators have adopted “emergency education” through various online methods platforms and are
forced to adopt a system they are not prepared for.
E-learning tools have played a vital role in this pandemic, helping to promote student learning during
school closures (Subedi et al., 2020). While adapting to new changes, staffs and need to pay and support
students’ preparation accordingly. Learners with a fixed mindset hate and adjust, while learners with a
fixed mindset various growth mentality can adapt to the new learning environment in time. There is no
teaching method suitable for all online learning and the needs of different topic. Different subjects and
age groups require different approaches to online learning (Doucet et al, 2020). Since the arrival of
COVID-19 has closed schools, parents and educators around the world are surprised and worried.
Although the government front-line staff, and health officials are doing their utmost to slow down the
epidemic, the Ministry of Education is also working hard to continue to provide excellent education to
everyone during these difficult times. Some online platforms currently in use including unified
communications and collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Zoom, and
Blackboard allow lecturers create educational curriculum, training and skills development plans
(Petrie,2020). They include workplace chat, video conferencing, and file storage options make the course
organized and easy to operate. They usually support sharing various content, such as Word, PDF, Excel
files, audio, video, etc. These also allow tracking student learning and assessment through the use of
quizzes and perform a score-based evaluation of the submitted assignments.
Besides than that, education situation challenges in teaching and learning for lecturers and students.
With the emergence of more and more platforms and online education tools, teachers and students often
encounter problems when using or referencing these tools. Broadly identified challenges with e-learning
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are accessibility, affordability, flexibility, learning pedagogy, life-long learning and educational policy
(Murgatrotd, 2020).
At the same time, in development, there will be some common economic problems or children from
global families cannot buy online learning equipment such as laptop, smartphone, desktop and so on.
Online education may increase the time students are on online screens. Therefore, students’ offline
activities sparkle. Meantime, both parents need to work, leading to the guidance of the parents, unable to
know whether they are studying well. Have practical issues surrounding physical workspaces that are
conducive to different ways learn. Intrinsically motivated students are relatively unaffected in their
learning, because they need minimal supervision, guidance and disadvantaged groups. It is composed of
students with weak learning abilities and facing difficulties. Some academically capable students from
economically disadvantaged backgrounds unable to access and afford online learning.
Although educators, schools, institutions and governments view online education from different
perspectives. The COVID-19 pandemic creates several opportunities for people the unprepared and
distant plan to implement the online learning system. Furthermore, it has established an unprecedented
close connection between teachers and parents forward. Homeschooling requires parents to support
student’s learning academically and economically.
Use of online platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, Microsoft Team, Blackboard and virtual
learning environmental exploration and attempts to teach and learn is the first time in the history of
continuing education. Even after face-to-face teaching resumes, it can be further explored, and these
platforms can provide additional resources and coach the learners.
Teachers have an obligation to develop creative initiatives to help overcome limitations of virtual
learning. Moreover, teachers actively cooperate the other is to improve online teaching methods at the
local level. Unparalleled opportunities for cooperation, creative solution, and willingness to learn others
try new tools because educators, parents, and students have similarities experience (Doucet et al., 2020).
Many educational institutions provide their tools and solutions help and support teaching and learning for
free a more interactive and attractive environment. Online learning provides different from teaching and
learning, opportunities to teach and learn in innovative ways experience in a normal classroom
environment.
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3.0 Research Methodology
3.1 Data Collection Method
This study was conducted in the semester of 2021 academic year. For this research was using an online
survey by using online questionnaire developed in Google Form to collect the data among participants.
The collection method has been used to gather as much information as possible from the primary data.
The Google Form link has been sent out to undergraduate students and society of university, primary
school, and secondary school through the email and social media platform. The question had developed
15 questions for every country where had pandemic Covid-19 of university, primary school, secondary
school or company that they have during distance online study. The questionnaire that I had designed also
included demographic such as gender and age, nominal, and ordinal. The questionnaire of which is using
in the collection methods is consists of a list of questions that to be selected or answered by the
respondents, and 107 of people responded. Questionnaire helps to collect quantitative data. But one of the
defects of the questionnaire is the respondents unable to seek an explanation immediately from the
respondents if they don’t understand the questions. To avoid them ambiguous, the questionnaire should
be designed precisely and easy for the respondents to understand. The question focuses on how they are
feeling for distance learning during pandemic Covid-19, how difficult or easy to use the distance learning
technology for their distance learning, what distance learning technology they are using for their distance
learning to perform the analysis.
3.2 Data Analysis Method
Before analysis the dataset was checked for missing data outliers. The data was then analyzed using the
statistical software PSPP. A paired of ANOVA was conducted to test the questionnaire.
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4.0 Research Instrument / Data Collection
4.1 Questionnaire
Questionnaire Development Steps
The questionnaire is used to investigate the relationship between different students’ responses to online
learning and various situations of online learning. The first steps in questionnaire data collection is to
determine the collected data. The data collected should be independent variables and dependent variables.
In the research questionnaire, the independent variables are the teacher’s understanding of teaching, the
difficulty of homework, the difficulty of homework, the level of online course, the level of use of online
learning platforms, the pressure of students to learn online, the fear of going back to school, and the
students wanting to go back to school or online learning.
Moreover, the second steps is to determine the platform to be used for the questionnaire. The
questionnaire for these studies uses the Google Forms platform. The important step to follow is to
evaluate the content of the problem. Researchers should filter out inappropriate questions about what the
research- related problems are. Then, the fourth step is to determine the type of question and answer
format. The question types selected in this study are multiple choice questions, scoring scale questions,
and Likert scale questions. These types of questions, also have corresponding response formats. After all
the constraints are determined, the researcher can begin to develop the problem. Each question should
correspond to the independent variable or dependent variable, which can be used for further analysis in
the next section.
In addition, can share the questionnaire with family, friends, students to answer the questionnaire.
Some questionnaires can be completed within 5 minutes. Finally, collected questionnaires to prepare for
the next step of data analysis and statistics.
Questionnaire Sections
Refer to Appendix 1, the first page of the questionnaire includes the researcher’s introduction, the purpose
of issuing the questionnaire, the confidentiality statement, and the thanks to the researcher. Researchers
will tell interviewees where they are from and who they interviewees need to conduct the research.
Therefore, respondents who can know and know the researcher is from Tunku Abdul Rahman University
College (TARUC), the Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours) in Software System Development
Year 2 Semester 1 the BACS 2042 Research Methods course that the college is taking. Then, the purpose
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of the questionnaire is clearly given to the interviewees when analyzing the students’ responses to online
learning and various situations of online learning. There is also a confidentiality statement to inform the
interviewee that the data provided by the interviewee will only be used for the research data of the
researcher. Finally, thank the interviewee them for answering the questionnaire and explaining a few
questions.
Refer to Appendix1.1, section of the personal information is used to collect the personal information
of the interviewee. Respondent’s name, age, gender, whether they are in school, name of the school. Next,
refer to Appendix 1.2, the section of the personal information 2 ask the interviewee is a student or not.
Section 1 asks students questions for students’ Responses to online learning. This question provides them
with yes or no options.
Refer to Appendix1.3, section 1 asks students questions for students’ Responses to online learning.
There are 15 questions in this section. The first question is asked the interviewee online study or study in
school with following SOP. This question provides them with online study, study in school with
following SOP and option others. The second question is asked the interviewee using what online
learning platform for them study. To provided Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Team and others platform
option. The third question is a which online learning platform to use is the best. We provided them
Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Team and others option. The fourth question is asked interviewee
education level. This question we provided Diploma, Degree, Primary School, Secondary School and
others to options. The fifth question is asking the interviewee have access to device for online learning.
This question provided the yes, yes but it doesn’t work well, no I share with others and others option. The
sixth is device do interviewee use for distance learning, provided Smart Phone, Laptop, PC, Tablet, and
others options. The seventh is asked the interviewee has been the most difficult aspect of completed them
schoolwork, provided very difficult communicate with team member during online discussion, when
discussing with team members the connection speed might be poor at times, cannot face-to-face with
lecturer to ask the schoolwork, misunderstanding the schoolwork is supposed to do and others to options.
The eighth asked the interviewee spend how much time on the online learning of each day. To provide in
this question have 1until 3 hours, 3 until 5 hours, 5 until 7 hours and other to options. The ninth asked the
interviewee like online learning or not, we to provide like option 1, like very much option 2, absolutely
like option 3, dislike option 4, strongly dislike option 5 and absolutely dislike option 6. The tenth the
interviewee can very clear lecturer teaching on online learning, to provide the question have clear option
1, very clear option 2, Absolutely clear option 3, not clear option 4, really not clear option 5 and definitely
not clear option 6. The eleventh question is asked to use the distance learning technology easy or difficult.
This question to provide the easy option 1, very easy option 2, absolutely easy option 3, difficult option 4,
really difficult option 5 and absolutely difficult option 6. The twelfth asked the interviewee to connection
the interbit to access them schoolwork will be difficult or easy. The question provided easy option 1, very
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easy option 2, absolutely easy option 3, difficult option 4, really difficult option 5 and absolutely difficult
option 6. The thirteenth asked the interviewee have a stressful or not on online learning, to provided
question no stressful option 1, maybe no stressful option 2, absolutely no stressful option 3, stressful
option 4, really stressful option 5 and absolutely stressful option 6. Fourteenth asked the interviewee
question if suddenly want to come back for study will be afraid or not. This question to provide no I’m
not afraid option 1, afraid of what? option 2, not afraid at all option 3, yes I’m afraid about it and
definitely afraid. The last question is asking like “face-to-face (F2F) study” and “Online Learning” to the
study for interviewee, to provided two options are Face-to-Face study and another one online learning.
Refer to Appendix 1.4, survey submit thank the interviewee them for taking the time to help
researcher making and completed the questionnaire.
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