Students' Perceptions of Online Learning and Teaching during COVID-19 pandemic: An Empirical Study in Selected University in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The dramatic transition to online pedagogy in education, as a consequence of COVID19 has shownseveral inequalities and challenges and advantages in education. The epidemic of COVID-19 profoundly changed the global higher education system in 2020, and the crisis has accelerated innovation in the education sector. Anyhow, whatever the situation, high academic standards are required for a university to produce high-quality teaching outputs and graduates, and it should ensure continuously. With this intention, this study conducted to assess the efficacy of online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the perceptions of undergraduate students from the Selected university.A validated online questionnaire is used among the 171 students from the selected university. The primary goal of this paper is to analyse how the education system adapts to online teaching and learning, identify the preferred mode of study by the students in between face to face interaction and online learning, and identify the advantages and challenges faced by the students in online learning. The paper also aims to make recommendations for improving online teaching and learning through the use of online. The study's findings show that, even though the students are satisfied with the existing online teaching and learning in selected university, they prefer face to face learning than online learning. The study strongly recommends that improving the quality of the online education system and striving to solve students' issues in terms of online learning is required to maintain the standard in education. The study's findings shed light on government and non-government educational institutions, academics, and policymakers to enhance online education and maintain the education standard.