ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
Covid-19 pandemic has spread over the world, causing a health disaster since at the end of 2019. The majority of the higher education system operates through e-learning and students have to adapt to a new lifestyle. The majority of students believed that online classes need more work than traditional classes do. Hence, this study was dedicated to explore which challenges that affect the students and positive and negative response during online distance learning (ODL) among Diploma in Pharmacy students. The cross-sectional study design by means of online questionnaire distribution using Whatsapp and email involving diploma of pharmacy students in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Bertam Campus. The findings revealed that the most common cause of overall challenges faced by students was a lack of focus during online learning. In addition, two of them showed positive response against ODL, namely challenges impacting students study performance and mental health. Meanwhile, the respondents also showed three themed challenges with negative response against ODL which were challenges in interacting, gaining internet access and getting supports. Face-to-face learning was preferred by students over online learning. As a result, students were challenged differently to the shift in this current learning method.
Adnan, M., & Anwar, K. (2020). Online Learning amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Students' Perspectives. Online Submission, 2(1), 45-51.
Ahmed, M. Z., Ahmed, O., Aibao, Z., Hanbin, S., Siyu, L., & Ahmad, A. (2020). Epidemic of COVID- 19 in China and associated psychological problems. Asian journal of psychiatry, 51, 102092.
Almaiah, M. A., Al-Khasawneh, A., & Althunibat, A. (2020). Exploring the critical challenges and factors influencing the E-learning system usage during COVID-19 pandemic. Education and Information Technologies, 25, 5261-5280.
Altwaijry, N., Ibrahim, A., Binsuwaidan, R., Alnajjar, L. I., Alsfouk, B. A., & Almutairi, R. (2021). Distance Education During COVID-19 Pandemic: A College of Pharmacy Experience. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 14, 2099.
Amir, L. R., Tanti, I., Maharani, D. A., Wimardhani, Y. S., Julia, V., Sulijaya, B., & Puspitawati, R. (2020). Student perspective of classroom and distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic in the undergraduate dental study program Universitas Indonesia. BMC medical education, 20(1), 1-8.
Keis, O., Grab, C., Schneider, A., & Ochsner, W. (2017). Online or face-to-face instruction? A qualitative study on the electrocardiogram course at the University of Ulm to examine why students choose a particular format. BMC medical education, 17(1), 1-8.
Kemp, N., & Grieve, R. (2014). Face-to-face or face-to-screen? Undergraduates' opinions and test performance in classroom vs. online learning. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 1278.
Kohan, N., Arabshahi, K. S., Mojtahedzadeh, R., Abbaszadeh, A., Rakhshani, T., & Emami, A. (2017). Self-directed learning barriers in a virtual environment: a qualitative study. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 5(3), 116.
Mishra, L., Gupta, T., & Shree, A. (2020). Online teaching-learning in higher education during lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 1, 100012.
Rizvi, Y. S., & Nabi, A. (2021). Transformation of learning from real to virtual: an exploratory- descriptive analysis of issues and challenges. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning.
Shahzad, A., Hassan, R., Aremu, A. Y., Hussain, A., & Lodhi, R. N. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 in E-learning on higher education institution students: the group comparison between male and female. Quality & quantity, 1-22.
Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States: Interview survey study. Journal of medical internet research, 22(9), e21279.
UNESCO. (2020). 1.3 billion learners are still affected by school or university closures, as educational institutions start reopening around the world, says. https://en.unesco.org/news/13- billion-learners-are-still-affected-school-university-closures-educational-institutions
Watson, P. J., Brymer, M. J., & Bonanno, G. A. (2011). Post Disaster psychological intervention since 9/11. American Psychologist, 66(6), 482.
Zhong, R. (2020). The Coronavirus Exposes Education’s Digital Divide. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/technology/china-schools-coronavirus.html
In-Text Citation: (Daud et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Daud, S. S. M., Hassan, N. A., Zamri, N. N. I. N., Lokman, N., & Ramli, N. N. C. (2022). Exploring the Challenges and Experiences of Students in Online Distance Learning (ODL) during Covid-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(4), 90–99.
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode