Philippine E-Journals

Perceptions of Senior High School Students on the Effectiveness of Online Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive-Survey Study in the Province of Zambales

Renz Marc Casiano | Ace Mark R. Antipolo | Mercel Claire D. Labanlic

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

The COVID-19 outbreak unquestionably impacted educational systems and caught learners off guard. The shift to online learning has been a challenging adjustment. Some learners feel socially distant and disconnected, which impairs their academic performance. Other students claim that online classes contributeto their lack of knowledge and familiarity with resources, hindering proper communication between students and teachers and fostering a sense of separation. One reason for the debate over online learning is the alleged benefits it offers, including academic efficacy, career development potential, cost-effectiveness in mitigating the rising cost of higher education, equivalence to postsecondary credits, and the potential to provide a global education to anyone with a broadband connection. This study was conducted to identify students' various perspectives on the effectiveness of online classes and to understand how they benefit from the curriculum, considering the relevance of the study's issues to their lives. It employed a descriptive-survey research designusing survey questionnaires to evaluate senior high school students' perceptions regarding instructional materials, content knowledge, pedagogy, resource utilization, assessment, coherent instructional design, interaction between students and teachers, student assessment design, online classroomproceduremanagement, student behavior, organization of physical space, and student engagement in learning. The results showed no significant difference in senior high school students' perceptions. However, considerable variance was observed among schools in terms of topic understanding and pedagogy, amonggenders in terms of objectives and student conduct, among grade levels in terms of student-teacher engagement, and among age groups in terms of student participation in learning. This research highlighted several characteristics and reasons supporting the potential benefits of online classes for students, as well as the obstacles hindering their learning.