Teachers’ Perception of the Effectiveness of E-Learning during Coronavirus

Abstract

This study aims at examining university teachers’ perception of the effectiveness of online education and addressing the key components needed to succeed in the online educational experience for university students during the time of Coronavirus. A mixed-method approach was used to design the study and answer the following research questions: a) what are the key components needed to succeed in the online educational experience at the university level in Jordan during the time of Coronavirus? And b) how do university teachers of English Language perceive the effectiveness of their online teaching based on such components? Data was collected via two sources (surveys and semi-structured interviews) in which fifteen faculty members who taught undergraduate online courses in the spring of 2020 at two private universities located in Southern Amman were involved. First, the findings revealed three basic components that would succeed online education in Jordan: student engagement, motivation, and relationship building. Second, the findings revealed that the participants in the three cases perceived their online teaching as less effective than it was during traditional teaching. Finally, the findings of this study offered several implications for theory (Learning communities), faculty members, and policymakers.