The Perception of English Department Students and Faculty Members of Online Learning During COVID-19: What Courses Fit Better?
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to discover English Department faculty members’ and students’ perceptions of online learning, to identify which English courses are most suitable for online learning. The study was implemented in the English Department at Jouf University during COVID-19 crisis. The research applied quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Two open-ended/closed-ended questionnaires were designed to collect required data. The participants were 21 faculty members and 68 students in BA English program. The results of the study revealed that Literature and Reading courses are the most appropriate courses for online learning as a result of their appropriate content. Additionally, the study has discovered that both faculty members and students are satisfied with their online learning experience. Faculty members are able to deliver different courses successfully, and students are capable of preforming required skills efficiently. However, the study found that all participants thought that this mode of learning cannot replace traditional learning due to various reasons including: the lack of face-to-face interaction, students’ lack of motivation, unsuitability of some courses for online learning, difficulty in assessment, and technical issues.
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