Learning whiplash: Chinese College EFL learners’ perceptions of sudden online learning

Abstract

As coronavirus disease 2019 swept through mainland China, students were forced to quickly switch to learning online. This study aimed to capture college Chinese English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) learners’ perceptions of rapidly switching to online learning at two colleges in China’s southern Guangdong Province. A bilingual (Chinese/English) online survey was used to collect data. The participants ( n = 504) responded to a survey about their feelings and perceptions of sudden online learning, a term the authors call “learning whiplash.” We asked students about how much they liked online at the beginning of learning online, how long students have been taking online courses, and how many online courses the students were currently taking. We also asked about the students’ perceptions of the quality of online learning when compared to physical learning. Finally, we asked students about getting drowsy and/or falling asleep during their online classes. We found that students were taking on average five to seven online courses and that they did not like learning online early in the epidemic. Our study confirmed that students preferred a hybrid learning environment. Seventy-nine percent of students admitted to getting drowsy and/or falling asleep during their online classes. Specific suggestions are given for teachers to keep students active and engaged in online learning. Practical guidance and strategies for creating vibrant online learning environments are provided. This research informs both the communities on online and e-learning as well as ESL/EFL teaching.

Online Learning is a City without Police: Influence of Proficiency on Libyan EFL Learners’ Perceptions

“…Derakhshan et al (2021) reported boredom as one of the main issues among EFL Iranian students in online classes, which was particularly due to a lack of peer interaction, teacher-student interaction, and interpersonal relationships. Barnhart, Li and Thompson (2022) also reported that 79% of students admitted to getting drowsy and/or falling asleep during their online classes. Hence, peer interaction seems to be necessary for EFL classes, a limitation that needs to be addressed in online EFL classes.…”

“…Basic Users avoided class participation due to the embarrassment of not being able to follow the instructions, while Independent and Proficient Users merely avoided unnecessary class tasks to focus more on what they found to be more useful to them. Thirdly, the only challenge which was similarly perceived by and influential on all the participants was the lack of peers' physical presence, which led to feelings of loneliness and boredom (Cancino & Avila, 2021;Derakhshan et al, 2021;Barnhart, Li, & Thompson, 2022).…”

“…For instance, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' perceptions regarding their online learning experiences, as an important factor influencing their acceptance of online learning, has been subjected to many studies (e.g. Alavi, Dashtestani & Mellati, 2021;Cancino & Avila, 2021;Derakhshan, Kruk, Mehdizdeh & Pawlak, 2021;Barnhart, Li & Thompson, 2022;Laachir, El Hilali, Moubtassime, & El Karfa, 2023). However, the relationship between EFL learners' language proficiency levels and their perceptions regarding online learning has not been given sufficient attention in the literature.…”

Understanding Student Engagement in Hybrid Learning : An Analysis Impact Digital Literacy and Academic Self-Efficacy

“…Hybrid learning is a challenge for many parties, as research (Babin et al, 2022) states that students enrolled in hybrid learning have less than optimal performance in online learning sessions. Meanwhile, (Barnhart et al, 2022) stated that students prefer hybrid learning patterns over fully online learning. Students must develop self-regulated learning (SRL) to monitor their learning progress independently Hanna, 2021).…”