Exploring Perspectives: The Virtual Classroom's Impact on Student Achievement from the Viewpoints of Both Students and Teachers

Abstract

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions were compelled to adopt distance learning as a temporary solution, substituting physical classrooms with virtual ones. However, even post-pandemic, several universities find themselves facing dilemma concerning organizing the education process. This pertains to the decision of whether to revert to virtual classes or to reinstate physical classrooms. In this context, a societal resolution needs to be identified, one that would garner greater acceptance from both teachers and students. However, this is not the sole criterion; efficiency accomplishments also hold important sway in determining the approach to organizing the educational process. In this context, the objective of this study is to explore students' perceptions regarding impact of virtual classrooms on their achievements.  Additionally, it aims to examine teachers' viewpoints on the efficacy of virtual classrooms as a teaching environment for enhancing students' academic outcomes. This research employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both structured questionnaires and semi-structured individual interviews as data collection tools. The study includes 50 students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Prishtina, 150 students from the Faculty of Social Sciences at AAB College, and 10 teachers from both institutions as participants. Given that the research encompasses two samples, one was chosen randomly to collect quantitative data, while the other was purposively selected for qualitative data collection. Quantitative data analysis involved descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The results obtained show a favourable influence of virtual classrooms on students' academic achievements and a positive impact of teaching through virtual classrooms on students' learning attitudes. Furthermore, the result showed that teachers' perceptions indicated a positive stance towards recommending the utilization of virtual classrooms as a fundamental prerequisite for enhancing interaction during lessons and effectively explaining new information to students.