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Comparative study between online learning during covid-19 pandemic and

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 Comparative study between online learning during
covid-19 pandemic and traditional learning system
Abimbola Olufunke Sobola
Data Science and Artificial
Intelligence
Bournemouth University
Abstract— The purpose of this study is to compare online
learning during covid-19 pandemic and the traditional learning
system on the students’ academic performance. Literature
review and interview were the methodology used in gathering
data. Online learning had been in existence for a long time, but
the advent of covid-19 makes it more popular to be used for
teaching-learning instead of the traditional method of teaching
across the globe to prevent break in academic year because of
the lock down policy. The samples used were 66 students
randomly chosen from the university, college, and high schools.
The findings show that online learning during covid-19
pandemic negatively affect the students’ performance, there is
no improvement on students’ academic performance, but the
attendance rate of online learning compared to traditional
learning was high, however, monitoring the students was not
effective. Hence, this study concludes that traditional learning
has positive impact on students’ academic performance
compared to online learning. Effective and efficient
methodology should be developed and used in the educational
sector to improve students’ academic performance using online
method of teaching.
Keywords— online learning, covid 19, traditional
learning, students’ performance.
I. INTRODUCTION (HEADING 1)
Online learning is a form of learning where students and
instructors do not meet face to face for teaching and learning
to take place compared to traditional learning where there is
physical interaction between the instructor and the learners
for teaching activities.
During covid-19 pandemic, all schools were closed and
students at all levels could not attend face to face teaching as
all activities were shut down. To this effect, online teaching
was introduced which was so instrumental for the successful
implementation of course program to prevent break in
academic calendar because of shut down policy, a measure
taken to combat the spreading of the disease across board,
which prevent the traditional means of teaching to take place.
Online learning can be in the form of asynchronous or
synchronous instruction [1]. In asynchronous instruction
students learn at their own time and pace as the course
contents are already on the internet. There is no immediate
feedback on the teaching learning process and
communication is usually through email and forum
coordinated by the teacher [2]. Synchronous instruction is
real time online teaching learning process where the students
and teachers can communicate, and instant feedback is
possible [2]. The use of both asynchronous and synchronous
online learning can be of great benefit to teaching-learning
process.
Online learning has been in existence for some time, but
the advent of coronavirus has made it more popular and used
by many schools, institutions, and organisations.
A. Background
Covid-19, a disease discovered in Wuhan, China in
December 2019 spread through airborne droplet and could be
contacted by people when moving close to the sneeze and
cough of persons with symptoms of the virus[3].The
outbreak of corona virus disease in 2019 lead to a global
health crisis that the measure taken to combat the spread of
the diseases required preventing people coming together in a
close contact[3, 4].World Health Organisation(WHO)
reported that there have been ten millions cases of corona
virus causing about 500 000 deaths around 215 countries as
at the end of June,2020. This led to various measures taken
by nations’ government to combat the spread of the disease.
Such measures include lockdown, banning social gathering,
the use of nose mask and maintain social distance as advised
by the [5] in 2019.
B. Effect Of Covid 19 On Education
The effect of covid-19 pandemic in every area of human
endeavour in the society cannot be over emphasized. The
organization for Economic cooperation and Development
(OECD) in 2020 outlined the effect of covid 19 pandemic as
it has taken substantial tolls on societies and by extension
every sector of the economy [6]. The measures taken by
government worldwide lead to disruption in every sector of
the economy including education. Institutions were closed to
curtail the spread of covid 19 virus considering the
institutions as agent of gathering, this measure impose a lot
of challenges in the academic’s activities, such as academic
calendar, instruction, evaluation, and research, etc. [7].
C. Application of online teaching during covid-19 lockdown
As a result of the lockdown policies imbibed by the
government of various countries worldwide due to covid-19
pandemic, various Higher institutions switched from
traditional teaching to virtual online teaching [8]. This
measure was taking by the administrative of schools to
ensure continuity in the academic program to achieve the
educational goal for the academic year. Hence, adaptation to
distance education in form of online teaching became
imperative as for both teachers and learners as well as
organizations embraced both physical and psychological
challenges for effective learning delivery during the
pandemic [9]. The migration from traditional teaching to
distance online teaching became important for most tertiary
institutions across the globe to ensure maintenance of quality
teaching delivery and continuity in the academic calendar.
D. Online teaching facilities
Effective remote teaching involves the use of online
management system such as Google classroom, Zoom,
Telegram and Microsoft Team [10]. Prepared learning
materials can be sent to the students’ mail addresses to aid
their independent study. The concept of online teaching does
not entail teachers and students physical interaction [11]. It
depends on the use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT). The use of digital devices such as
computer, mobile devices and internet formed the channel
through which online teaching is enhanced to support
teaching and learning process. Online teaching and learning
exist in the development of Information Management in the
society [12]. Education media play a very vital role in the
teaching and learning. For example, in the traditional
teaching, instructors always use instructional media as a
means of complimenting what is being taught theoretically.
Various psychological school of thought believed that what
students see, feel or touch improve quality of learning and
promote the transfer of knowledge which is the goal of every
educational program. Educational media is a veritable tool to
content development and promotion of knowledge. [13]
analysed the use of radio, television, and telephone for
presenting instruction to the students at remote distances.
However, updating educational materials to meet current
issues in the education sector have been a major drawback to
the implementation and assessment of distance learning
education.
Technological innovations have proffered the most
effective way of presenting learning experiences that is
students centre and purpose driven. The flexibility in the use
of information and communication technology and
eLearning have make it possible for increased in the number
of students to be accommodated for instruction and
accessibility of instructional materials is enhanced [11]. In
this way, there is no restriction of number of students to be
accommodated for instruction and accessibility of
instructional materials is enhanced [11]. In this way, there is
no restriction of number of students to be accommodated and
the effect of high ratio of students to teacher which is a major
factor to success of instruction is defeated. The distance
between the teacher and the learner is not a barrier to the
period of instruction as the use of information and
communication facilities create the efficient means of lesson
delivery irrespective of the location of both the instructor and
the learner.
Instructional development for the intended learning
outcomes to be improved and the students’ trust is built
capacity to make the teaching meaningful and purposeful.
The criteria to be considered should include the objectives of
the instruction, instructional contents, age of students and
availability of Information and Communication technology
facilities to the students. Response approach mechanism
should also be developed for students to get instant feedback
at every stage during instruction. Many research studies
suggest that online teaching create more flexible solutions
for student to exhibit their potentials during instruction.
Sufficient resources are very essential for eLearning
activities unlike traditional teaching. Effective and efficient
online teaching require infrastructure and information
accessibility. Necessary resources and technological skill
must be adequately provided for purpose driven eLearning
activities.
E. Purpose of the study
Covid-19 pandemic affected higher institution of learning
in most countries of the world. The closure of schools due to
the lockdown by government of various countries resulted in
the schools coming up with strategies and modalities to
ensure continuity in the academic activities. This was made
possible at the time when innovation and digitalization of
educational context have been technologically upgraded.
However, quick adaptation to the new emergence to teaching
by both the students and teachers was a major challenge to
meet the educational purpose. Traditional means of engaging
the students for lesson delivery have been the major route of
implementing education curriculum where the teachers
devise various teaching techniques as well as different
psychological motivation theories to ensure learning takes
place during lesson delivery. More so, the learning outcome
must be meaningful and promote transfer of knowledge
which is the hallmark of all forms of educational program,
the channel of lesson delivery must be structure to meet the
target of educational aims and goal. The non-face to face
interaction through online lesson delivery as being proved by
some researchers as more effective and efficient for teaching
which has been recommended in place of traditional teaching
while some researchers supported traditional learning as the
best form of teaching-learning, it is imperative to compare
the online teaching to traditional teaching to establish the
merit of the two systems of lesson instruction.
F. Reasearch Question
This study will compare the effectiveness of teaching
online with the traditional way of teaching with the
following research questions:
a. What is the effect of online learning on students’
academic performance?
b. Is there an improvement in students ’academic
performance during online teaching compared to traditional
teaching?
c. What is the attendance rate of online learning
compared to traditional teaching?
II. METHOLOGY
The research method to be used in this study is
comparative analysis of both online learning and traditional
teaching method using google classroom to collect data.
A. Ethics Statementns
The study entails that human participant must be
involved to ascertain the significance of both online teaching
and traditional teaching to learning processes of students.
Approval was obtained from the supervisor. All participants
received message explaining the aim of the study and
requirement of the participants.
B. Participants
The sample used for this study consists of 66 students
randomly chosen from those that attended online learning
during covid 19 pandemic and had attended traditional form
of leaning before the lockdown.
The participants during the online teaching received
lectures, work on assignments and examinations were
conducted for them using various ICT gadgets.
 C. Instrument for Data Collection I
Questionnaire was developed to gather information from B. Research Question 2
the students using google form. Five points Likert scale was
adopted to rank the participants judgement on the research The second research question was designed to investigate
topic. The scale consists of five options which are: Strongly the improvement in performance during online learning
agree [SA]; Agree[A]; Neutral[N]; Disagree[D] and Strongly compared to traditional learning method. 39.4% respondents
Disagree[SD]. disagree that performance was greatly improved while
27.3% remain neutral. Few of the respondent agreed that
D. Data Collection Procedure performance was improved during online teaching. The
clarity of concept taught during online, motivation for
The questionnaire is designed using Google classroom
learning and interaction for performance were not favoured
inform of interview. The link is generated and send to the
by online teaching as revealed in table 2.
students’ respondents through their various WhatsApp.
Total number of sixty-six (66) students responded from TABLE II. TABLE TYPE STYLES
universities, college, and high school. The returned form
was processed and evaluated using descriptive statistical RESPONSES SA A N D SD
analysis to draw conclusion for the research questions. Performance was
greatly improved during 4 5 18 26 13
online teaching
III. RESULTS compared to traditional
teaching. 6.1% 7.6% 27.3% 39.4% 19.7%
Questionnaire was developed from the research using Concept taught during
Google classroom. 5-point Likert scale was used to analyse online teaching was 4 5 19 24 14
the data. This scale is useful because respondents have clearly defined
choices without being overwhelmed and it give them the compared to traditional
options to be neutral rather than having to choose alternative teaching. 6.1% 7.6% 28.8% 36.4% 21.2%

that does not reflex their thinking . The link to the survey Motivation to study
more is enhanced 4 9 12 26 15
was sent to the students. Sixty-six (66) students responded
during online teaching
to the survey, 84.8% were university students, 1.6% students compared to traditional
were college students while 13.6% were high school teaching. 6.1% 13.6% 18.2% 39.4% 39.4%
students. Online learning
A. A Research Question 1 promote interaction for 4 8 14 27 13
performance than
The first research question is to determine the effect of traditional teaching.
online teaching on students’ academic performance. Table 1 6.1% 12.1% 21.2% 40.9% 19.7%
shows the percentage mean of the respondents 25.8%
disagree that online teaching stimulates learning while
19.7% agreed. 37.9% are neutral. Majority of the
respondents disagree that motivation for learning is C. Research Question 3
enhanced through online teaching. 30.3% of respondent The third research question was to establish the
disagree on increase in the interpretation of concept and attendance rate in online learning compared to
33.3% disagreed that online teaching aid remembrance of traditional teaching. Table 3 shows the details analysis
concept taught. of the respondents in which majority of the participants
are of the opinion that attendance and concentration rate
were not improved during online teaching compared to
TABLE I. TABLE TYPE STYLES
traditional form of teaching. Although, online teaching
RESPONSES SA A N D SD with 30.3%, 28.8% disagree monitoring of student’s
Online learning 0 13 25 17 7 attendance was more effective during online teaching
stimulates 0 19.7% 37.9% 25.8% 10.6%
with 30.3%, 28.8% disagree on punctuality rate during
learning
online teaching.
Motivation for 3 21 16 20 16
learning is 4.5% 16.7% 24.2% 30.3% 24.2% TABLE III. TABLE TYPE STYLES
enhanced
through online RESPONSES SA A N D SD
teaching Attendance rate is
Interpretational 5 15 14 20 12 improved during
of instructional
7 8 13 21 17
7.6% 22.7% 21.2% 30.3% 18.2% online teaching
concept is
compared to
increased 10% 12.1% 19.7% 31.8% 25.8%
during online traditional teaching.
teaching Concentration rate
Online teaching 6 9 19 22 10 improved during 1 6 11 23 25
aid the 9.1% 13.6% 28.8% 33.3% 15.2% online teaching
remembrance of compared to
concept traditional teaching. 1.5% 9.1% 16.7% 34.8% 37.9%
 Monitoring of
students’ attendance
7 20 12 11 16
was more effective
during online teaching
than traditional 10.6% 30.3% 18.2% 16.7% 24.2%
teaching.
Punctuality rate is high
during online teaching.
5 16 11 19 15
7.6% 24.2% 16.7% 28.8% 22.7%
IV. DISCUSSION
The results of the study as analysed in the google
classroom shows the significance difference between online
teaching and traditional teaching. Due to the limited time of
this study, the sample size was limited which might not be a
true representative of students globally, few literatures
review was also used for the comparison.
Evaluating the effect of online teaching on academic
performance of students, the study evaluated stimulation of
learning using online teaching. In the feedback, online
teaching was not favorable in concept clarification,
motivation for learning and recalling of concept taught
which is against the report by [15, 16]. Literature review
also shows that improvement in performance is low during
online learning compared to traditional learning [17-20].
Another study evaluated the improvement in performance
during online teaching compared to traditional method of
learning. In analysing the feedback, performance, concept,
clarification, motivation for learning and interaction for
performance were negatively affected. The finding does not
promote students’ satisfaction, instructional quality and
continuous improvement in performance as opined by
[15,16].
Evaluating student’s attendance rate during online
teaching to traditional teaching. In the findings, traditional
teaching influences attendance rate. Monitoring of students’
attendance is more effective during online teaching.
Experimental evidence shows that traditional face to face
learning dominate online learning in terms of concentration
and participation according to [10, 18-22].
A few studies support blending the online teaching with
the traditional teaching to meet the current educational
needs [23-25]. Various studies examine level of expertise of
both students and teachers in the use of ICT facilities to
promote traditional classroom will be a model for effective
teaching and learning [26]. Hence, in the case of another
lockdown online learning remains the only option.
V. CONCLUSION
The study compares online learning during covid 19
with traditional teaching. The data demonstrated the opinion
of participants in the two method of learning that shows that
learning which is the utmost reason for every education
outcome was negatively affected during covid 19 using the
online method of teaching. The effect and improvement of
online learning on students’ academy performance from the
sample and literature review study indicate that students
perceived traditional learning as having positive impact on
students’ academic performance than online learning. Some
researchers argue that blended learning is the best form of
teaching but in the arises of another pandemic or lock down
both traditional learning and blended leaning will be
affected, hence online learning will be the only option for a
successful educational continuity. Therefore, it is very
important for educational sector to develop effective and
efficient method for online learning to have a positive
impact on students’ academic performance. The implication
of this will be a learning environment that is student centre.
Hence, improvement in students’ academic performance can
be guaranteed in a similar occurrence of lockdown.
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