Undergraduates’ Perspectives and Challenges of Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case from the University of Jordan

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many countries and has had a serious impact on education around the globe. Jordan has followed strict nationwide procedures to stop the spread of the virus, one of which has been school closures and a shift to online learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perspectives of online learning at the University of Jordan and determine the challenges they experienced as a result of shifting from face-to-face learning to a fully online learning environment. The study took a quantitative approach, using a web-based questionnaire to collect data from 398 undergraduate students enrolled at the School of Educational Science at the University of Jordan. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that students preferred an online learning environment to face-to-face learning and perceived the former as being very useful. However, students encountered some challenges, such as mental health issues (anxiety and stress), unreliable internet connections, slow e-learning platforms and services, a lack of information and communication technology skills, poor time management skills, and distractions. These findings highlight the importance of providing students with counseling services for mental health, technical support, and training in time management skills to improve their online learning experiences.