Exploration of students perceptions and experiences of online learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard college)

Abstract

Corona-virus pandemic commonly known as covid-19 had an impact on higher education system globally as a result emergency learning (Online learning) was introduced to avoid the disruption of academic lessons. Online learning required students and lecturers to carry out the teaching and learning process through online platforms such as zoom and other learning sites. Therefore, this study aimed at understanding how university of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard college campus) students perceived and experienced online learning. This study was a qualitative study and thematic analysis was used as form of data analysis. The study used eight participants who were university of KwaZulu-Natal students, and they were doing their first, second and third years across three colleges: College of Humanities, college of Law and management studies and college of agriculture engineering and science that are found within Howard college campus (UKZN). The results indicated that students had different perceptions and different experiences of online learning, as some students indicated that they had positive experience and perception of online learning whereas some perceived and experienced online learning negatively. Online learning offers flexibility, but it also presents various constraints such as Network issues, Lack of technological devices, Loss of human interaction. Some students were less motivated to participate in online learning as they prefer face to face interactions. In conclusion the key factors in conducting online learning are the availability supporting tools, stability of internet connection and access, and applications of online learning must be easy to access and use, they must also be motivating and in the form of combination among several online learning media to provide the best way in delivering and accepting the material during teaching learning process.