Assignment Submission Cover Sheet

Programme Title: MSc Operations and Supply Chain

Management
Module Code and Title: BU7709-202122: Research Methods
Assessment Title: A Quantitative Study on Correlation Between
Pandemic Induced Online Learning and Career
Upskilling in MSc Students of Trinity Business School

Group Number: 2
Main Content Word 2167
Count:

Student Name and % %

Contribution

1. Elizaveta Peretyatko 4. Sathwik Ramaprasad

21357823 21330668

2. Dongjin Shin 5. Zhou Shen

21341860 21340217

3. Victoria Martin 6. Leoncio David Ramirez

21331422 21351657
Table of Contents

Abstract 1
Keywords 1
Introduction 1
Literature Review 2
Barriers 2
Motivational Approach 2
Research Objective and Questions 3
Methodology 3
1. Methodological Approach 3
2. Method of Data Collection 3

3. Methods of Analysis 4
4. Evaluation of Methodological Choices 4
Data Analysis and Inferences 5
General Information: 5
Hypothesis Testing 5
Additional Analyses 6

1. Value for Money versus Field of Study 6

2. Preference of Choice of Assessment – Weighted Cantilever 7
3. Trend Analysis 7
Future Scope and Conclusion 8
References
Appendix A
Appendix B
A Quantitative Study on Correlation Between Pandemic Induced
Online Learning and Career Upskilling in MSc Students of Trinity
Business School

Abstract
The shutdown of academic institutions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in students learning
through online media, across the globe. With changing hiring processes and requirements, there is a
change in expectations of students from educational institutions. A quantitative analysis was
constructed by the use of survey and secondary data collection with data analysis centered on
regression model, one-way Anova and scatter plot among others. It was based on the MSc students of
Trinity Business School on the correlation with key variables and indicators that are pivotal in their
decision-making process regarding the enrolments for upskilling.

Keywords
Online Learning, Upskilling, Education, Face-to-Face Learning

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced almost every sector of business across the globe, particularly the
educational sector. The impact yielded a paradigm shift in the functioning of educational institutions.
Students around the world scampered to prepare for computer-based learning, while tutors had to
adapt to teaching to a screen, all with very little turnover time [Amy et al., (2021)]. While educational
institutions have slowly started to welcome back students into classrooms, almost a year of online
education has changed the way students see upskilling themselves, predominantly for their careers.
These factors are paving a new path of education and upskilling for students across the globe and
conducting a study. This report summarises the findings from the survey to assess the attitude of
students towards online learning and provides a couple of suggestions on how educational institutions
can plan to operate in the near future. In addition, this paper includes a methodology of the research
and analysis of data received as responses.

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Literature Review
Barriers
Facing the unexpected switch, students dealt with numerous challenges and obstacles. The social
habits of about 80% of students changed, and their connection with peers, the college community,
and professors increased (Gonzalez-Ramirez et al., 2021). Research is done by Unger and Meiran
(2020) further showed that the majority of students (75.6%) were anxious about the shift to finishing
a semester online.

However, the attitude of students to online learning has shown positive responses. Unger and
Meiran (2020) said that students generally hold more positive viewpoints to distance learning after
attending three-week online courses. Other researchers also draw a similar conclusion and reported
that the experiences of attending online classes could increase students' willingness to receive
online learning (Mohammadi, 2015; Guo et al., 2016; Chen et al., 2017; Huang et al., 2017; Joo et al.,
2018).

Motivational Approach
The impetus of learning to ride over obstacles and fulfil performances can be defined as the meaning
of motivation (Tohidi and Jabbari, 2012). The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in adults’ significant
increase in online learning (OECD, 2020). Talal (2021) discovered via a survey that students tend to
choose online learning due to flexibility, economy, and efficiency. These factors play a pivotal role
with e-learning being in the limelight.

Furthermore, OCDE (2020) suggests three similar concepts that are positively linked with this project’s
scope, as all of them were critical factors positively related to the potential student’s decision - Value
for money–time, Flexibility related with the time and rhythm optimisation, based on users’
employment schedules and Reliability of the educational institutions and methods.

In addition, Lee, J. et al. (2021) also analysed the aforementioned and included User Engagement in
online professional learning using as a framework the emotional, cognitive and behavioral
engagement, and found that the course design and flexibility are key engagement elements, as all
were positively correlated with the student’s intention of taking future online classes.

Lastly, Shahzad et al. (2021) compared the effects of COVID 19 in e-learning on higher education
institutions between males and females. The study analysed the technology infrastructure, time
flexibility, usefulness and expertise and showed an important interdependence between the e-
learning structure and the decision to continue studying online.

The reason to conduct this research was due to a lack of examination of COVID-19 impact on Trinity’s
Business School students and their educational habits.

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Research Objective and Questions
Based on the literature review and the data collection carried out, the following has been devised:

• Research Aim: “To facilitate useful information to educational institutions regarding online
learning and post pandemic upskilling”.
The study seeks to provide a foundation for future researchers and institutions, to analyse
student behaviour and attitude towards online learning and restructure the offerings for
students.

• Research Objective: “To assess the perception of the induced online learning post pandemic
and the key factors influencing the decision-making process of Trinity College Dublin students
in career-oriented upskilling”.

• Research Question: How has the COVID-19 pandemic induced online learning impacted
career-oriented upskilling of Business Masters students at Trinity College Dublin?

The sub-questions devised for this particular study are as follows:

1. What impact does face-to-face learning make on a student’s career upskilling?

2. Does previous experience have an impact on willingness to take online classes?
3. Does age have an impact on willingness to take online classes?

Methodology
1. Methodological approach
The research study is based on the outcome that the induced online learning post pandemic produced
in students concerning career-oriented upskilling. Key elements were correlated in order to provide
a better understanding of the student’s decision-making process perspective. The collection of
primary quantitative data was made via an online survey.

2. Methods of data collection

The data collection was based on a simple random sampling (SRS) technique, by sending a Google
Forms survey (See Appendix A) via WhatsApp to different groups, focused on Trinity College Dublin
postgraduate students from business school. The survey was initiated on 15/10/2021 and ended on
19/10/2021, and consisted of 14 multiple choice questions and 5 questions with a 5-point Likert scale
response. The 5-point scale was used to provide a ‘Neutral’ option as well to the respondents, but did
not want to bifurcate opinions into ‘Strongly’ and ‘Weakly’ such as in a 7-point scale. The aim was to
receive answers from at least 100 postgraduate business students across disciplines. However, only
37 business students filled the questionnaire out of 55 overall respondents.

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 3. Methods of analysis

Firstly, the data collected was categorized and structured seeking the potential correlation from the
outcomes, as well as the finding of outliers. The data was then analyzed using the statistical software,
Microsoft Excel and Data Studio. Statistical methods as Correlation, One Way Anova, Regression,
Scatter Plot and Independent Samples Median Test were used.

4. Evaluation of methodological choices

The decision-making process (Figure 1.) regarding the studied topic was linked to the gaps and
potential correlations found after the literature review analysis. Moreover, due to the nature of the
information needed, quantitative research was the appropriate strategy to connect the discussed
concepts and seek for correlations with specific structured metrics.

Fig. 1: Methodical Framework

Furthermore, the methodological approach used was an optimal scheme taking into account the
metrics and parameters that were required. It contributes new knowledge and understanding
respecting the students’ behaviors in relation to the induced online learning post pandemic by offering
different perspectives related with the study of key variables such as impact of face-to-face classes,
assessments methods, previous online experience and age among others.

The study confronted various limitations as sample size and time constraint by dint of the lower
response rate. That, helped us to better understand the constitution of the project by adapting the
research scope and redefining the future one. However, the value addition that this study offers is
based on the outcomes of the data analysis, even though the analysis was grounded from ideas of
previous research papers, the results and variables correlated in this investigation supported
significant approaches that others researchers missed.

This report was designed without collection of personal and sensitive information in order to ensure
the respondents’ privacy.

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Data Analysis and Inferences
This section of the report discusses the data collected, hypothesis devised, variables considered and
the statistical analysis carried out on them. Inferences are further stated, based on the analysis.

General Information:

Data was collected from 55 respondents through the questionnaire, where 37 pieces of data were
valid (n=37). Among those respondents, 73.91% were aged 22-25 and 65.22% were Asian. In general,
data of the participants fit the desired sample population. Additionally, initial findings are provided in
Appendix B.

Hypothesis Testing:

Following is a summarization of the hypothesis tests conducted in the research study. Individual test
results are presented in Appendix B.

1. H1: Previous experience affects willingness to online classes

Tool: One-way ANOVA

Result: Fail to reject the null hypothesis

Inference: The result indicates that irrespective of a student having experience undertaking online
courses, it does not affect their willingness towards online courses significantly, although the average
amount of willingness for distance learning for the experienced group is higher than the inexperienced
group.

2. H2 (a): Age affects willingness to undertake online learning

Tool: One-way ANOVA

Result: Fail to reject the null hypothesis

Inference: The result indicates age of a student does not affect their willingness to take online courses
significantly, although the average amount of willingness for distance learning for the older group (26-
30) is higher than the younger group (22-25).

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 H2 (b): Age affects perception of online learning for career upskilling

Tool: Independent Samples Median Test

Result: Accept the alternate hypothesis

Inference: A correlation exists between the age and the perception of online classes with the
pandemic as older students (26-30) are more likely to believe that online classes lead to a better
enrollment post pandemic than the younger lot (22-25).

3. H3: Region and Origin have an impact on the willingness to enroll for online classes.

Tool: Independent Samples Median Test

Result: Fail to reject the null hypothesis

Inference: The result indicates that region-based bias with respect to online course enrolment does
not exist and does not play a role in determining a student’s choice in opting for online learning.

4. H4: Career upskilling post COVID-19 is impacted by face-to-face offering of knowledge.

Tool: Regression Analysis

Result: Fail to reject the null hypothesis

Inference: Face-to-face offering of knowledge is not a predominant determining factor in a student’s

decision to opt for online upskilling or otherwise. This comes after the emphasis that face-to-face
teaching has a bigger impact in learning.

Additional Analyses:
Additional analyses were conducted with data available from beyond the target group as well. This
helped get a better understanding of the Trinity College Dublin student behaviour.

1. Value for Money versus Field of Study

Cohort: Respondents who answered:

• ‘Yes’, for an increase in number of online
courses after the pandemic
• Streams of study (Business, Arts and
STEM)
• Main reason for choosing college over
online learning – Degree Requirement
by company.

Inference: Business students feel that a greater value for money lies in online learning as compared
to the STEM and Arts students.

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Reasoning: Requirement of labs and course specific material, best available in a college classroom, by
the Arts and STEM students. In comparison, business students have a plethora of resources in various
media to upskill for career needs.

2. Preference of Choice of Assessment – Weighted Cantilever

Cohort: Respondents who answered:

• ‘Yes’, for an increase in number of
online courses after the pandemic
• Stream of study - Business
• Main reason for choosing college over
online learning – Degree Requirement
by company.

Inference: A greater number of this cohort opts to be continually evaluated in their assignments rather
than having a year-end examination, that is depicted by the darker shades of blue towards the right
end of the cantilever.

Reasoning: Business courses predominantly require hands-on assessments that can bolster practical
application of knowledge rather than textbook oriented hard ruled examination.

3. Trend Analysis

These trend charts depict the relationship between the field of study, and the main reason for opting
college and reasoning to take up upskilling respectively.

An observation from the trend charts is that, Academic Requirement is the major driver for online
course upskilling irrespective of field of study. However, when the concern is based on the reason for
opting college, impact of face-to-face teaching is pivotal for business and arts students whereas for
the STEM students, it is the requirement of labs predominantly. This observation plays interestingly
with the inferences stated in this section of the report previously, and the initial findings from the
survey.

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Future Scope and Conclusion
By studying Trinity College Business School student sample, it is not conclusive that age and origin
impact the willingness to take up online courses nor that previous experience with online learning
has an effect (H1, H2a, H3). Although, face-to-face facility is important in the learning process for
the studied population, with changing hiring needs and student expectations, students are opting
to upskill themselves via online courses over the college in the business discipline of education, as
a greater value of money is seen.

Some possible limitations for our study are as follows:

● The sample size is too small, with only 37 respondents to the survey;
● The sample was selected through SRS process which does not allow a perfect
representation of Trinity College Business School Master Student population;
● Only students of the 2021-2022 batch are surveyed. Students in 2021-2022 are
more likely to take face-to-face classes compared to the students of 2020-2021,
resulting in a different attitude towards online courses overall;

The research was devised with the intention of providing the educational institutions with a base
to start a restructuring of academic offerings for the near future to meet the expectations and
requirements of the forthcoming students. Nevertheless, conducting the analysis also opened a
range of questions for further study, especially around the correlation of work experience and
students’ behaviour in an online class. The paradigm shift induced by the COVID-19 pandemic has
called for swift action, and the importance of the role of universities in imparting quality
knowledge is at its peak.

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Appendix A
Survey Questionnaire used for the Research:
Appendix B
Initial Findings from the survey:

H1 Hypothesis Testing:
H2 (a) Hypothesis Testing: H2 (b) Hypothesis Testing:

H3 Hypothesis Testing:

H4 Hypothesis Testing: