Online Learning Challenges Affecting Students of English in an EFL Context During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The sudden and rapid changes in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a shift in the educational methods used in educational facilities. Challenges faced by both students and lecturers have led to a quality difference in the education provided. This study was carried out on students who joined EFL English-99 and English-101 courses that enforced online learning during the 2019/2020 summer semester at Yarmouk University. A quantitative approach was used to answer the question of this study: What are the online learning challenges faced by English language students in an EFL context during COVID-19 Pandemic? A questionnaire of 52 items was sent online to 1,200 students to find the causes of the quality change. The items aimed to determine the effect on the student experience of the following challenges: infrastructure, computer skills, coordination, teaching methods, motivation & willingness, assessment methods and social aspects. The results showed the severity of the challenges as following: teaching methods, social aspects, infrastructure, computer skills and coordination all showed a high degree of challenge, and assessment methods, motivation & willingness came with a moderate degree of challenge. The researchers recommend conducting further research to determine solutions for the challenges faced by students in an EFL context in the online learning environment.