THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONLINE LEARNING DUE TO THE EMERGENCE OF THE

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ZEUS JOLO AMPARO RECTRA

AF2011008406

BACHELOR OF COMMUNICATION (HONS) IN CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

KOLEJ UNIVERSITI POLY-TECH MARA (KUPTM), KUALA LUMPUR

2022
 Copyright

Unless otherwise specified, all content in the thesis is copyright material of Kolej Universiti

Poly-Tech MARA Kuala Lumpur, including but not limited to text, logos, icons, images, and

other artwork. Any material contained in the thesis may be used for non-commercial uses with

the consent of the copyright holder. Commercial usage of the material is only permitted with

Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA's express, prior, written consent.

© 2022 Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA

I
 Declaration

This study comprises my own research, which has not been submitted in substantially the

same form for the award of another degree or other qualifying work by myself or by anyone

else. I confirm that all key sources have been accurately mentioned and that assistance has

been acknowledged.

Zeus Jolo Amparo Rectra

01 March 2022

II
 Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to God for providing me with the strength

and insight to finish this research paper. Moving on, I'd want to convey my gratitude to Dr. Nan

Zakiah Binti Megat Ibrahim, my advisor and lecturer, for her persistent guidance, support, and

counsel throughout the past two semesters. I appreciate her going above and beyond to

ensure that I am in good care. During my current academic semester, I would like to express

my gratitude to my fellow classmates for always looking out for one another and providing

emotional support. Next, I would want to thank my family for their financial support in allowing

me to pursue my tertiary studies at Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA in Kuala Lumpur. Finally,

I want to express my gratitude to my friends and family for their constant support and

encouragement during my academic journey.

III
 Abstract

A study related to the implementation of online learning due to the emergence of the COVID-

19 pandemic involving three factors, namely the COVID-19 pandemic, the Movement Control

Order (MCO), and educational institution closure. However, there is still a lack of studies that

can prove that the COVID-19 pandemic, the Movement Control Order (MCO), and educational

institution closure contribute to the implementation of online learning. Accordingly, this study

was conducted with the aim of forming a corresponding model in describing the relationships

and between the four variables. The study also aimed to determine the relationship between

the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning. Besides that, it also aimed

to examine the relationship of the MCO towards the implementation of online learning. Other

than that, it also aimed to investigate the relationship between the closure of the educational

institutions and the implementation of online learning. This study applies Online Collaborative

Learning (OCL) Theory by Linda Harasim to further strengthen the relationship between each

variable. This study applies quantitative methods and data collected through the distribution

of questionnaires to 160 respondents who are tertiary students under the auspices of tertiary

educational institutions in Malaysia. It was also found that there was a significant relationship

between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning. The study also

found a significant relationship between the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the

implementation of online learning. The study also found significance between the closure of

the educational institutions and the implementation of online learning. Based on that, all

variables mentioned are significant to the study. This study contributes to the field of

development communication through the formation of more complete variables related to

participation in training and adoption of innovations in light of the emergence of the COVID-

19 pandemic, further helping to further develop the Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

Theory by Linda Harasim.

Keywords: COVID-19, Implementation of Online Learning, Movement Control Order (MCO),

Educational Institution Closure, Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) Theory, Linda Harasim

IV
 Table of Contents

COPYRIGHT ............................................................................................................................ I

DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................... III

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................... V

LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. IX

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. X

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of the Study ................................................................................................ 1

1.2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 3

1.4 Research Objectives ...................................................................................................... 3

1.5 Significance of the Study................................................................................................ 3

1.6 Definition and Conceptual .............................................................................................. 4

1.6.1 COVID-19 Pandemic ............................................................................................... 4

1.6.2 Movement Control Order (MCO) ............................................................................. 5

1.6.3 Educational Institution Closure ................................................................................ 5

1.6.4 Implementation of Online Learning.......................................................................... 5

1.7 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................... 6

2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 6

2.2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 6

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 2.2.1 COVID-19 Pandemic ............................................................................................... 6

2.2.2 Movement Control Order (MCO) ........................................................................... 11

2.2.3 Educational Institution Closure .............................................................................. 12

2.2.4 Implementation of Online Learning........................................................................ 13

2.3 Theory .......................................................................................................................... 16

2.3.1 Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) Theory by Linda Harasim ........................... 16

2.4 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................ 19

2.5 Hypothesis Development ............................................................................................. 19

2.6 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 20

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 20

3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 20

3.2 Research Design .......................................................................................................... 20

3.3 Type of Research Method ............................................................................................ 21

3.4 Unit of Analysis ............................................................................................................ 22

3.5 Sampling ...................................................................................................................... 22

3.6 Data Collection Process ............................................................................................... 23

3.7 Instrument Development .............................................................................................. 24

3.7.1 Restructuring of Questionnaire .............................................................................. 25

3.8 Pilot Test ...................................................................................................................... 31

3.8.1 Frequency of Respondent Background for Pilot Test ............................................ 31

3.8.2 Instrument Reliability ............................................................................................. 33

3.8.3 Inter-Item Correlation for MCO Variable ................................................................ 34

3.8.4 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable........................ 35

3.8.5 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable ........... 36

VI
 3.9 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 38

3.10 Summary .................................................................................................................... 39

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ................................................................ 39

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 39

4.2 Frequency of Respondents .......................................................................................... 39

4.3 Instrument Reliability .................................................................................................... 43

4.3.1 Inter-Item Correlation for the Movement Control Order (MCO) Variable ............... 43

4.3.2 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable........................ 44

4.3.3 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable ........... 46

4.4 Hypothesis Testing ....................................................................................................... 48

4.4.1 Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between Movement Control Order (MCO)

and the implementation of online learning ...................................................................... 48

4.4.2 Hypothesis 2: There is a relationship between the educational institution closure

and the implementation of online learning ...................................................................... 49

4.5 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 49

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 50

5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 50

5.2 Discussion on the Findings .......................................................................................... 50

5.2.1 Objective 1: To determine the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and

the implementation of online learning. ............................................................................ 50

5.2.2 Objective 2: To examine the relationship between the MCO and the

implementation of online learning. .................................................................................. 51

5.2.3 Objective 3: To investigate the relationship between the closure of the educational

institutions and the implementation of online learning. ................................................... 51

5.3 Contribution to the Theory............................................................................................ 52

VII
 5.4 Implication of the Study ................................................................................................ 53

5.5 Recommendations for the Future Research ................................................................ 54

5.6 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 55

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 56

APPENDIX A ......................................................................................................................... 67

Weeks of School Closure (UNESCO) ................................................................................ 67

APPENDIX B ......................................................................................................................... 68

Demographic Background Questionnaire .......................................................................... 68

APPENDIX C ......................................................................................................................... 69

Movement Control Order (MCO) Questionnaire ................................................................ 69

APPENDIX D ......................................................................................................................... 71

Education Institution Closure Questionnaire ...................................................................... 71

APPENDIX E ......................................................................................................................... 73

The Implementation of Online Learning Questionnaire...................................................... 73

VIII
 List of Tables

Table 3.1 Demography of Respondents (N=52) 32

Table 3.2 Cronbach’s Alpha for Pilot Test Analysis 33

Table 3.3 Inter-Item Correlation for Movement Control Order 34

(MCO) Variable

Table 3.4 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure 35

Variable

Table 3.5 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online 37

Learning Variable

Table 4.1 Demography of Respondents (N = 160) 41

Table 4.2 Cronbach’s Alpha Analysis 43

Table 4.3 Inter-Item Correlation for Movement Control Order 43

(MCO) Variable

Table 4.4 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure 45

Variable

Table 4.5 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online 46

Learning Variable

Table 4.6 The relationship between the MCO and the 48

implementation of online learning

Table 4.7 The relationship between the educational institution 49

closure and the implementation of online learning

IX
 List of Figures

Figure 2.1 Model of online collaborative learning by Harasim (2012) 17

Figure 2.2 Theoretical Framework 19

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Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

People all over the world were confronted with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-

19) pandemic in the early year of 2020, which is an intangible adversary that forced the vast

majority of the population to shift many of their livelihoods to a “new normal”, such as their

daily life routines and practises that are ranging from personal to organisational, as well as

outdoor or public activities. Many drastic policy and law changes have been implemented in

an attempt to compel compliances with many countries' rules and regulations in order to

ensure the safety of communities from becoming victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and to

ensure that the societies maintain their high levels of productivity and performance (Stawicki,

et al., 2020). The tertiary education sector which is the university, being the primary portion of

Higher Education Institutions and one of the most important divisions that comprises various

types of levels of students who constitute the countries’ future workforce, is among the

important organisations that are facing the COVID-19 pandemic. While some university

students have extensive experience using online learning platforms to engage in learning

activities, the majority does not. The COVID-19 outbreak has assessed institutions' level of

readiness to embrace innovative technologies and evaluate students' readiness to utilise

these in their online learning activities (Allam et al., 2020).

With that said, according to Qureshi et al. (2020), many students from the universities

and colleges had no other option but to utilize an advanced form of digital online technologies

to complete the workloads from their studies and be updated with their lecturers in a riskless

aspect, in which ensures measuring social distance are adhered to. It is indisputable that

employing ICT programs improved by internet technologies has shown to be one of the

potentially powerful solutions that will play an essential part in the rapid growth of e-learning

(Kurilovas & Kubilinskiene, 2020). Nonetheless, the complete and unexpected use of these

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online solutions during the pandemic may have some adverse effects on the students' end, as

an outcome of several impediments that may potentially disrupt numerous students' learning

processes. As a result, the purpose of this research is to examine and highlight university

students' perspectives and beliefs of using various forms of innovative ICT online programmes

during the pandemic as well as to determine the challenges and consequences of

implementing the whole e-learning approach during COVID-19 from the perspective of

students who are using these e-learning technological innovations in Malaysia.

1.2 Problem Statement

Online learning is considered an uncommon method of learning before the pandemic

of COVID-19 in Malaysia, however, with the sudden emergence of the said pandemic at the

beginning of the year 2020, the positive cases of this new coronavirus have reached 553 on

March 16, 2020, in Malaysia, and Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahiaddin Yassin, announced

the enactment of the first Movement Control Order (MCO), also known as a “lockdown” to curb

the COVID-19 spreading (Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia, 2020). In addition, numerous

governments worldwide also issued unanticipated orders to enforce quarantine and various

stages of lockdown respectively, causing fear and uncertainty. COVID-19 quickly spread,

causing a crisis situation that had a direct impact on many enterprises and organisational

systems, as well as the education system.

Following that, on the 27th of May 2020, Malaysia's Higher Education Ministry

announced that such teaching and learning activities through all universities and other higher

education institutions should be implemented via online platforms until the 31st of December

2020, while further notice is determined for the year 2021. As an important element in the

prevention of the risk of COVID-19 infection, the majority of learning activities are to be

conducted online with only a few exceptions such as practical or laboratory classes that

require special equipment or supervision which should be conducted physically with rigorous

guidelines to follow (Palansamy, 2020).

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1.3 Research Questions

R.Q.1. What is the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of

online learning?

R.Q.2. What is the relationship between the MCO and the implementation of online learning?

R.Q.3. What is the relationship between the closure of the educational institutions and the

implementation of online learning?

1.4 Research Objectives

R.O.1. To determine the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the

implementation of online learning.

R.O.2. To examine the relationship between the MCO and the implementation of online

learning.

R.O.3. To investigate the relationship between the closure of the educational institutions and

the implementation of online learning.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The factors of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have led to the

impact of the Implementation of Online Learning today, as they affected the communication

skills of the students in Malaysia; in transitioning from face-to-face learning to online learning.

This study aims to assist students in shedding light on the effect of the pandemic towards the

mental capacity and capability of students, thus, highlighting the impact of the implementation

of online learning towards the communication skills of students. This also recognizes the fact

that it influences the adaptation of the educational institutions to implement online learning to

combat the impediment of the pandemic towards the learning and academic growth of the

students.

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By acknowledging and investigating the various factors of the COVID-19 pandemic, it

would highlight the importance of implementing online learning to enable students to resume

their studies. This is because the traditional method of learning which was previously known

as face-to-face learning is now unable to be conducted due to the effect of the pandemic on

educational institutions and students. Other than that, conducting this research would help

students to be aware regarding the significance of online learning in the continuation of their

studies during the pandemic. At the end of this study, it was found that the said pandemic is

the main cause of the wide-scale implementation of online learning in Malaysia.

1.6 Definition and Conceptual

This part will be explaining about the definition and concept of the terms highlighted in this

study as below.

1.6.1 COVID-19 Pandemic

According to Elengoe (2020), the COVID-19 pandemic is defined as a disease caused

by the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that begun from the city of Wuhan, which is located in the

province of Hubei, China that has spread throughout the world, and as of 17th of April in the

year of 2020, it has amassed over two million cases of COVID-19; approximately about 150k

cases of mortality and over 500k cases that recovered have been reported across the globe.

The earliest outbreak was recognized in Malaysia on the 25th of January, 2020, and was

linked to three people from China who precedently had close contact with an infected

individual in Singapore. Some examples of symptoms of this disease include such as diarrhea,

vomiting, sore throat, cough, headache, nausea, and more. (Sahin et al., 2021).

Resulting from this research, it shows that it is a virus that was recently discovered

widely last year, in which the virus can be transmitted through the secretion of bodily fluids by

sneezing, exhaling, or coughing, and it is still prominent across the globe today.

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1.6.2 Movement Control Order (MCO)

MCO or “Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Kerajaan Malaysia” (PKP) in Bahasa Melayu,

is a series of countrywide quarantine and lockdown measures undertaken by Malaysia's

federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began on March 18, 2020,

last year. MCO procedures included limitations on travel locally and internationally, gathering,

as well as the temporary closure of businesses, industries, government sectors, and

educational institutions (Abdalqader et al., 2020).

Based on the understanding from this research, the implementation of the MCO in

Malaysia highlights in combating the spread of the COVID-19 infection, limiting the less face-

to-face contact and interaction among people which contributes to the risk of getting infected

by the said virus.

1.6.3 Educational Institution Closure

According to Engzell et al. (2021), educational institution closure is defined as the

temporary suspension of face-to-face learning in educational institutions as a preventative

method and tool towards the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on data obtained

from UNESCO (2021), educational institutions in Malaysia have remained closed for 49 weeks

in total, as of 15 August 2021, since the start of the pandemic (see Appendix A).

For this study, educational institution closure is conceptualized regarding the fact that

schools or educational institutions are ceased or halted to operate, thus, forcing students and

teachers to leave the premises and go home.

1.6.4 Implementation of Online Learning

According to Guri-Rosenblit (2005), online learning is the application of digital media

solutions for a range of learning objectives, ranging from supplementing traditional classroom

lectures to completely replacing face-to-face sessions with online interactions. E-learning can

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similarly be defined as a formal education system or a network in which information is

distributed to a large number of people via electronic resources (Babu & Sridevi, 2018).

For the purpose of this study, online learning is construed as a type of learning method

that is applied with the use of the internet and enables the students and teachers to conduct

classes remotely.

1.7 Chapter Summary

This chapter discusses the background of the study, problem statement, research

questions, research objectives, the significance of the study, as well as the definition and

conceptual. The next chapter will be discussing the literature review, theory, and hypothesis,

and conceptual/research framework.

In the next chapter, it will explain more about the literature review where this study will

be discussed to support the independent variable.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

The literature review, theory, research framework, and hypothesis will all be covered

in this chapter.

2.2 Literature Review

2.2.1 COVID-19 Pandemic

Pandemics have always been occurring globally since the early ages. Despite being

identified in the 1960s, human coronavirus to this day requires substantial research to be fully

comprehended. Coronaviruses have created pandemics since the new millennium began. The

initial coronavirus outbreaks, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, in which caused socioeconomic

and psychological damages in the past. The current novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19)

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will benefit from our previous experience in dealing with similar disasters. During the present

pandemic, the public needs to be informed about this unique virus. According to Tyrell & Bynoe

(1966), they discovered the first human coronavirus from the respiratory tract of a patient who

had a common cold in 1965. B814 was the virus's name. The researchers, on the other hand,

were unable to reproduce the virus in a cultured medium. In another related research, Hamre

and Procknow discovered a virus that was referred to as 229E in samples taken from medical

students who had a cold (Hamre & Procknow, 1966). McIntosh et al. (1967) isolated ether

sensitive agents of multiple strains from the human respiratory tract in a similar research. They

were given the term "OC" since they were produced in organ culture (McIntosh et al., 1967).

Around a similar timeframe, Almeida and Tyrrell (1967) used electron microscopy to

study organ cultures infected with B814 and found particles with a size of 80-150 nm that

looked like contagious bronchitis virus in chickens. Surprisingly, both the 229E agent

discovered by Hamre and Procknow (1966) and the OC virus identified by McIntosh et al.

(1967) have identical characteristics. A team of virologists led by Tyrell studied many strains

of human and animal viruses in the late 1960s, including rodent hepatitis virus, contagious

bronchitis virus, and swine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, among others. Electron

microscopic findings show that they were all morphologically identical (Almeida & Tyrrell,

1967). As a result, a new virus genus called CORONA was discovered, with the name corona

referring to the crown-like look of the base in the morphological composition of the viruses

(McIntosh et al., 1967; Tyrrell et al., 1975; Witte et al., 1968).

According to McIntosh et al. (1970), new data regarding the epidemiology of

coronaviruses has been uncovered as a result of ongoing studies using improved serological

techniques. In comparison to the summer, these viruses are more prevalent throughout the

rainy, winter, and spring seasons. Coronaviruses were identified to be linked to a range of

respiratory illnesses after volunteers were vaccinated and epidemiological studies were

conducted. (Bradburne et al., 1967; Bradburne & Somerset, 1972; Hamre & Procknow, 1966;

McIntosh et al., 1970). Compared to present-day research, these studies are rather common

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practice in the research world due to the studies done by researchers that conduct

investigations on various viruses in order to procure vaccines that would benefit the people to

prevent the compromisation of an individual’s immune system by such viruses like the

coronavirus.

Based on the study of McIntosh et al. (1974), and Wenzel et al. (1974), pneumonia

was discovered to be the most common ailment among children and young people. In adults

and the elderly, they were also linked to chronic bronchitis and asthma (Falsey et al., 2002;

McIntosh et al., 1973). Besides human coronaviruses, animal coronaviruses have been

discovered to be quickly rising in quantity and epidemiological impact. They've been

discovered in rodents, poultry, feline, and canine, among other animals. The study of animals

included encephalitis, hepatitis, and gastroenteritis in addition to respiratory tract diseases.

(Haring & Perlman, 2001).

According to Drosten et al. (2003), Ksiazek et al. (2003), and Peiris et al. (2003), in

late 2002 and early 2003, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus, also

known as SARS coronavirus and a novel type of the virus, arose from China and spread

throughout the world. These pathogens flourished seamlessly in tissue culture, allowing

researchers to examine the virus's genome structure, which was identified to be substantially

unique from animals and humans coronavirus, therefore, forming a new virus group similar to

viruses cultivated from Himalayan palm civets, from which they had been thought to have

progressed (Guan et al., 2003). With the support of the findings from the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (2003), it is shown that over 8000 cases were confirmed and roughly

770 deaths in 29 nations that were impacted during the SARS pandemic. It is still unknown

how these viruses made their way into people, but, according to one notion, these viruses

were transmitted by Himalayan palm civets. Before the SARS-CoV pandemic, coronaviruses

were thought to typically cause minor respiratory infections. Due to the nature of the SARS-

CoV virus, the spread was mostly affecting homes and healthcare facilities because it was

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only transmittable via direct contact with infected people, based on the findings obtained from

Peiris (2003).

In June 2003, the SARS-CoV outbreak was brought under control. SARS-CoV has not

resurfaced from then on, but in 2012, a new human coronavirus known as the Middle East

Respiratory Syndrome-CoV was discovered in the Middle East (MERS-CoV). In Saudi Arabia

and other Middle Eastern countries, it fueled extremely virulent respiratory tract infections

(Zaki et al., 2012). During the early phases of the virus, a high fatality rate of almost 50% was

reported. The outbreak was eventually brought under control in 2013, however, isolated

infections were reported throughout the remainder of the year. In April 2014, there was a sharp

increase in the number of reported infections and mortality, raising concerns that the virus had

mutated, making it capable of human-to-human transmission. According to the European

Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 855 cases of MERS-CoV had been confirmed by

August 2014, with 333 fatalities (Fehr & Perlman, 2015). Coronaviruses can cause a wide

range of diseases in animals such as swine, poultry, cattle, felines, and canines, resulting in

significant economic and livestock losses.

In December 2019, the world was surprised to learn about the sudden emergence of

a coronavirus in Wuhan, in the Hubei Province of China. The outbreak eventually became an

epidemic, and the sickness quickly spread outside of China's territory to the whole world. The

disease was eventually termed as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or better known as COVID-

19, and the novel coronavirus responsible for the upsurge was dubbed as ‘severe acute

respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2’, or ‘SARS-CoV-2’ (World Health Organization, 2019).

Eventually, the COVID-19 outbreak was deemed a worldwide health emergency by the World

Health Organization on the 30th of January, 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020). After a

few months, following an analysis of the deadly virus's propagation and intensity throughout

the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General acknowledged COVID-19

as a pandemic during his opening remarks at the COVID-19 press conference on March 11,

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2020. He also announced social distancing as a means of containing the pandemic's spread

(World Health Organization, 2020).

Based on the findings from World Health Organization (2021), as of 27th of August

2021, the WHO database confirms 213,752,662 cases of corona globally with 4,459,381

reported deaths from 201 countries, and as of 25th of August 2021, a total of 4,953,887,422

vaccine doses have been administered. With the availability of rapid testing kits, the number

of reported cases is progressing every day. As a result, this pandemic will have a significant

socioeconomic and psychological impact.

COVID-19 is currently being compared to the 1918 World Flu Epidemic due to its

impact globally, and to emphasize that perspective, COVID-19 infections, and deaths are more

likely to occur among the elderly and those who have a history of chronic illness (Belluz, 2020).

COVID-19 has a wide clinical range, with early-stage patients displaying only moderate or

subclinical symptoms (Guan, 2020; Wang, 2020). It causes severe acute respiratory illness in

the majority of patients, necessitating intensive care and oxygen support.

The new coronavirus has a lot in common with the SARS and MERS viruses, and the

COVID-19 outbreak is a setback in our efforts to prepare for a pandemic. Approximately four

million individuals have died resulting from the infections. Humans have always been resilient

in adapting to their circumstances, replacing face-to-face interactions such as working in the

office with working from home through virtual platforms like Zoom. Socializing and connecting

with our friends and loved ones has also navigated to social media platforms like Facebook

and Skype. Physical learning in the education sector has been temporarily replaced with online

learning. These are applied in order to prevent the risk of COVID-19 infection among people.

As vaccinations have begun majorly across the globe to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and

eventually reach herd immunity, to date, prevention is the best way to tackle this pandemic

situation in order for economies, businesses, governments, and education sectors to operate

normally again.

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2.2.2 Movement Control Order (MCO)

Based on the research conducted by Pung et al. (2020), the earliest cases of COVID-

19 were reported in Malaysia on January 25, 2020. The cases started to fluctuate in the

following month, partly due to a mass gathering during a religious occasion (Bernama, 2020).

Following an outbreak of Covid-19 in Malaysia, the country implemented travel restrictions

and quarantines. On March 18, 2020, a Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented,

which closed all businesses, as well as education and government sectors except those that

were providing essential services and equipment (Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia, 2020).

The government of Malaysia has been wary of the COVID-19 outbreak since January 2020,

when it issued a travel warning on the 25th of January after three people from China tested

positive for the virus. Following that, a number of initiatives were implemented, beginning with

the restriction of entry with foreigners from certain countries into Malaysia, followed by self-

quarantine of Malaysian and non-Malaysian individuals coming back from countries who are

hotspots of COVID-19 and ending with the passage and implementation of the MCO according

to the Immigration Department of Malaysia (2020).

According to the Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia (2020), the MCO is a partial

lockdown that applies to Malaysia, and it bans mass gatherings and movements at all places

of worship and business establishments. This order applies to all Malaysians who are planning

on traveling outside the country and also requires them to carry out various procedures such

as the two-week self-quarantine before they can enter Malaysia. All learning institutions,

government, and private sectors were closed, exempting establishments that offer essential

services like food, health, finance, and other related sectors that fall into this category.

Violations of the MCO are punishable by a fine of up to a thousand Malaysian Ringgit and up

to six months in prison.

Moreover, according to Salim et al. (2020), MCO also initiated other various

movements, such as chartered trips back home by Malaysian citizens. These were also linked

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to the uptick in COVID-19 cases, which occurred over the following upcoming months. The

MCO was further strengthened by the deployment of military forces and roadblocks across

the country. A 10-kilometer travel radius restriction was implemented and only one person per

household was allowed to travel, and individuals must declare a valid reason for travel by

requesting travel permission from the police. In addition, limited operating hours for

establishments that fall under the category of essential services were also introduced

(Bernama, 2020). Residents in certain hotspots of COVID-19 were required to stay in their

homes during the implementation of a tougher MCO known as the Enhanced Movement

Control Order (EMCO), and those who failed to follow the rules were subject to arrest (Prime

Minister's Office of Malaysia, 2020). The official media has been providing updates on the

MCO and urging the public to stay home and minimize unnecessary travel.

With that said, due to the continuous gradual decline in COVID-19 diagnosis, more

businesses were permitted to resume operation. This includes establishments that operate in

printing materials, packaging, and hardware stores (Koya, 2020). Since January 2020,

Malaysia has been implementing various measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The

implementation of the MCO was widely criticized at the start due to the mass movements that

occurred during the pandemic. Despite this, the enforcement of the MCO has led to a

significant drop in new cases initially.

2.2.3 Educational Institution Closure

Most countries have implemented restrictive measures to reduce the circulation of

COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2. According to Litvinova et al. (2019), these include the prohibition

of social activities, closure of educational institutions, and factories. It is widely believed that

this restrictive measure reduced the severity of seasonal and pandemic flu outbreaks. It is

possible that the effects of educational institution closures on the economy and social

problems could be detrimental to public health. For instance, studies showed that when the

outbreak of coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 occurred, the infection rates were higher in

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children and less in adults (Wu et al., 2020). To support this point furthermore, based on the

research conducted by Wu and McGoogan (2020), about 1% of cases of COVID-19 involve

children under the age of ten.

According to Zhao et al. (2020), how and when educational institutions can be

reopened following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is another issue that needs to be

resolved. Currently, it is not known how or when to reopen educational institutions. Based on

the measures used to detect an infection, it may assist in identifying an infected individual,

however, due to its sensitivity which was largely criticized, individuals may obtain a false

negative result instead due to the low viral load of the virus during the incubation period.

Moreover, most kids have an asymptomatic infection that can be treated with antibiotics. It is

believed that most of them will have a low level of viral load that is not sufficient for obtaining

positive results on tests with low sensitivity.

2.2.4 Implementation of Online Learning

According to Owston (1997), the World Wide Web's invention in 1992 allowed

educational institutions to expand their offerings beyond traditional classroom models, and it

also made the online learning experience more accessible. The 1980s and 1990s witnessed

the rapid expansion and innovation of online education and networking. The knowledge

revolution enabled people to communicate and collaborate in new ways. The evolution of

online education is intimately tied to the history of computer networking. E-mail and computer

conferencing are both acknowledged as the seeds of the modern world wide web (Hafner &

Lyon, 1996). Over the years, various models have been developed to study how effective and

relevant online education can be. During the 1980s and 1990s, many people questioned the

quality and value of online education. Based on the study conducted by Pool et al. (1984),

computer networking has significantly impacted the world since the early 80s.

According to Hiltz & Turoff (1978), while e-mail continues to be the main networking

application in educational settings, computer conferencing is becoming more prevalent. The

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educational adoption of computer networking started in the 1970s, just shortly after the

invention of packet switches. Although many academics and teachers were initially limited to

using computer networks, they soon started to integrate them into their courses. By the end

of the decade, networking had become the main mode of communication in education. E-mail

was first used for academic purposes in the 1970s. By the 1980s, networks were widely

adopted in educational institutions. In the K-12 classrooms, teachers and students worked

together on collaborative projects. Another example was the Canadian Reseaux d'Ateliers, or

RAPPI, which linked secondary schools in Canada, England, France, and Italy. Through this

project, students gained an international perspective by learning about other cultures.

Moreover, based on findings obtained from a study by Riel (1996), a further example

that can be related to this is “Learning Circles”, which is a method that began in the early

1980s and has evolved since then. To support this, according to Harasim (2000), online

learning is a form of distance learning. Although the concept of distance learning was already

invented several centuries ago, the value of this type of learning process is not found in its

creation. Online education has been a flourishing area since the 1900s when educational

institutions started to develop products and services that help students improve their skills. In

1960, the Internet became widely used for educational purposes, and one of the approaches

that were utilized in the fruition of online learning during that time was PLATO. PLATO is a

type of programmed logic that enables educational institutions to implement automated

teaching methods. In the mid-1980s, many educational institutions started offering computer-

based training (CBT). Students used the technology to interact with each other and develop

simulations using a variety of computer-based tools.

According to Mason (2000), in 1989, Open University launched the first computer-

based distance education course. Over the next couple of years, other experimental

applications were also launched. The 1990s witnessed the emergence of various online

educational activities, such as educational institution networking programs and the use of

multi-object-oriented websites. This came to fruition due to the emergence of the World Wide

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Web in 1992 which has greatly impacted the world of education. The first high school that was

operating and conducted fully online was founded in 1994. Mobile, reproducible, adaptable,

economical, and possess a high possibility of long-term cost-effectiveness are among the

characteristics Graziadei et al. (1997) outlined for evaluating items and establishing

technology-based courses.

Over the years in the early 2000s, the improved Internet enabled students to connect

with each other through various forms of communication, such as video clips and blogs. This

increased popularity of distance learning programs has raised the number of students enrolled

in them by 65 percent (Azizinezhad & Hashemi, 2011). In the US, almost all of the educational

institutions that offer financial aid programs have at least one distance learning course, and

according to Fischer (2008), the Council of Europe recognized e-learning's potential to

improve education quality and academic efficiency across the European Union. Computer-

mediated communication (CMC) was also introduced around this same timeline, and it is a

type of education that involves the use of technology to enable individuals to communicate

with each other. In contrast, computer-based learning (CBT) is an individual-paced learning

experience that is facilitated by an instructor. Videoconferencing was an early form of

educational technology. It was especially popular with museum professionals. Despite its

shortcomings, it is still very beneficial for reaching out to a wider audience, in which, this

platform or type of approach in education is still prevalent today (Crow & Din, 2009).

According to Craft (2012), students growing up in the digital age are exposed to a wide

range of media. Major tech corporations have funneled financial support in supporting

educational institutions to teach students the utilization of technology in learning as well as

daily life (HuffPost, 2011). In 2015, private nonprofit organizations added more students than

for-profit educational institutions, which led to an increase in the number of online students

overall (Friedman, 2017). Due to the increasing reliance on technology in educational delivery,

students can now interact in real-time with their instructors and classmates. This has led to

the term "Online Learning" being coined (Rainie, 2010).

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Moving on to the recent time, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic in early 2020, most

educational institutions globally were forced to close temporarily, in which most students

currently are attending classes, educational programs, and courses via online or remote

learning; enforcing distance learning in order to prevent the risk of coronavirus infection among

students and lecturers (Han, 2020; Polstra, 2020). UNESCO, for example, has deployed

educational technology solutions to assist educational institutions in facilitating distance

education (UNESCO, 2020). Extended lockdowns and an emphasis on distant learning as a

result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak have drawn record-breaking sums of startup

money to the education technology sector (Kaplan, 2021). With that said, it is clearly shown

that online learning played a role in the changing dynamics of learning methods due to the

pandemic. Online learning has changed the way students pursue their education and has

introduced new opportunities for them. It has also increased accessibility for students all over

the world and ensured that students are on track for graduation despite the detrimental effects

of the pandemic.

2.3 Theory

In this section, the theory that has been used in this research, which is the Online Collaborative

Learning (OCL) theory by Harasim (2012), will be discussed.

2.3.1 Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) Theory by Linda Harasim

Collaborative learning is a method of learning in which learners of varying skill sets

work collectively in small teams to achieve a shared objective. Pupils are both accountable for

each other's and their own learning (Gokhale, 1995). Online collaborative learning (OCL) is

an approach that shifts collaborative learning from face-to-face to online.

Harasim (2012) developed OCL theory from foundations in computer-mediated

communication and networked learning during the contemporaneous development of both

constructivist learning techniques and the Internet (Bates, 2015). According to Bates (2015),

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OCL theory is based on cognitive development theories related to deep learning and academic

knowledge advancement. Based on the study of Harasim (2012) in OCL, students are

challenged to collaborate and solve problems instead of just memorizing the answers. The

teacher or instructor is also instrumental in helping students reach their learning goals.

OCL has been universally regarded as an effective learning paradigm that has a

beneficial impact on students' academic progress in a majority of past studies. For instance,

based on the study conducted by Tsai and Guo (2011), the study revealed that OCL had

positive impacts on the academic performance of the students. It also suggested that further

studies on the effects of OCL on different educational levels should be conducted. Group work

facilitated through online collaboration was associated with higher levels of knowledge transfer

among participants (Zhu, 2012). The study conducted by Magen-Nagar and Shonfeld (2017)

that is related to the said theory, examined the effects of an OCL program on attitudes toward

technology. It revealed that a high level of OCL can help decrease anxiety and improve

technological self-esteem. The diagram below shows the model of online collaborative

learning as proposed by Harasim (2012).

Figure 2.1

Model of online collaborative learning by Harasim (2012).

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According to Harasim (2012), idea generating, idea organizing, and intellectual

convergence are three terms for knowledge development in a group through dialogue. In the

idea-generating process, each student engages in a group discussion about a specific topic

or subject. Through this process, they are able to express their own ideas and develop a

variety of divergent views on the subject, which eventually leads to the second stage known

as idea organizing. For instance, they can disagree or agree with others, and elaborate or

reject some views. Through the readings suggested by their peers, students develop their own

personal interpretations of the material, and the teacher then helps them develop their own

analytical terms that are applied to the topic. The discourses in this stage move on to the third

stage, which is intellectual convergence. In this stage, groups formulate and discuss their

positions on a given topic. The resulting synthesis and consensus are presented in a joint

work. OCL theory states that, for academic development, discussions need to be organized

and supported by instructors.

In addition, according to Bates (2015), the OCL model supports a lecturer's ability to

implement an effective teaching strategy but various design principles are also necessary

when designing courses. For instance, lecturers can use various strategies and procedures to

help pupils navigate through OCL, such as utilizing appropriate technologies, providing clear

and direct instructions for the online behaviour of the student, and more. However, they should

also be aware that cultural and epistemological issues can also be challenging for teachers.

Furthermore, Bates (2015) also stated that both the instructors and students may find it

challenging to implement a constructivist approach to learning, and therefore both parties

would need to collaborate in order to make online learning a success.

The learning environment refers to the various elements that can be utilized to improve

the learning process. These include the learning interaction, the learning design, and the

learning environment. Based on the findings obtained from a related study to support the OCL

theory by Razali et al. (2015), it has been stated that a conducive environment can help

improve the interaction between students and teachers. In order to be effective, online learning

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should have an interaction framework. This concept supports the relationship between the

students and the instructors. Moreover, for the learning design stage, researchers could select

the appropriate collaboration technology and develop effective learning designs that can

motivate students (Kaur et al., 2011). With that said, OCL is a strategy for constructing

knowledge through collaboration. This theory encourages students to develop their own ideas

and solutions through the use of various means, such as inventing and exploring new methods

(Bates, 2015).

Based on the theory of Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) by Harasim (2012), it is

observed that the reliance on technology has constantly increased and innovated today’s

education around the world. This also has effectively given alternative gateways for

educational institutions to provide lectures and enable students to continue their educational

pursuance, despite any circumstances that may arise such as the COVID-19 pandemic. As

seen in today's educational structure, the communication between lecturers and students has

been bridged with computer-mediated communication and networked learning, in which, the

internet has become the medium of students and teachers to continue their learning and

teaching respectively, which is consistent with the OCL Theory by Harasim (2012).

2.4 Theoretical Framework

COVID-19 Pandemic
Implementation
Movement Control Order (MCO)
Educational Institution Closure of Online
Learning

Figure 2.2: Theoretical Framework

2.5 Hypothesis Development

H1: There is a relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online

learning.

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H2: There is a relationship between the MCO and the implementation of online learning.

H3: There is a relationship between the closure of the educational institutions and the

implementation of online learning.

2.6 Chapter Summary

This chapter has discussed the literature review, research framework, theory, and

hypothesis. The next chapter will be discussing the research methodology in general.

Chapter 3: Methodology

3.1 Introduction

This chapter will be discussing research design, type of research method, unit of

analysis, sampling, data collection process, instrument development, data analysis, and pre-

test.

3.2 Research Design

The study design for this research will be a non-experimental correlational design using

the “quantitative method”.

According to Babbie (2020), quantitative research is a type of study that focuses on

the analysis of data collected through surveys, interviews, and polls. The goal of the

quantitative method is to find a relationship between a population and an independent variable

within a community or a group, and it also aims to identify the influences of various variable

dependent ones on one another. Quantitative research is more focused on convergent and

logical reasoning to explain the causal-effect relationship. Contrary to qualitative research,

quantitative studies usually use divergent and inductive reasoning (Babbie, 2020).

Based on the findings obtained from a study by Apuke (2017), the research

methodology is a process utilized by researchers for carrying out their studies. This procedure

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involves analyzing and quantifying various data sets in order to get a better understanding of

an issue or a topic. A quantitative research method involves gathering data in a numerical

form and analyzing it with the aid of statistical methods such as the IBM SPSS Software. This

method is commonly used to collect and evaluate data. Quantitative research begins with a

statement of a problem, an inquiry question, and a review of the literature. It then uses various

strategies of inquiry to collect data and make conclusions.

Based on the research conducted by Almeida et al. (2017), the quantitative research

method is advantageous as it has a low development time compared to a qualitative method

of research. Doing quantitative research in real-time allows researchers to collect data in order

to perform statistical analysis immediately. Doing so makes it possible to collect useful

information that can be used to develop a hypothesis. In addition, it is more efficient in data

collection and analysis using statistical methods as there is no need for the researcher to

interpret the data collected manually which is done in the qualitative method. Besides that,

with this method, experimenter bias is able to be eliminated as the results of the data would

not be affected by an individual and by the subjective interpretation of the researcher.

Therefore, the data and results obtained would have a decent reliability and validity score.

Moreover, the quantitative approach allows researchers to study larger samples for their

studies. This allows them to gather more data and make their findings more reliable. Having

a larger sample size also helps minimize the risk of overestimating their findings.

3.3 Type of Research Method

The questionnaire that will be used for this research will address the dependent

variable which is the implementation of online learning, and the independent variable which is

the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire is divided into five sections, which are part A, B,

C, and D.

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For part A, it will find out the demographic background of the participants, which

consists of eight questions that will ask about the respondents’ age, gender, citizenship,

ethnicity, higher educational institution, and the current level of tertiary education.

As for part B, it aims to identify the knowledge of the participants regarding the

Movement Control Order (MCO). This part consists of 14 questions where the participants

must rate how true each statement is to them based on using the Likert scale that ranges from

1 to 5.

Besides that, for part C, it aims to identify the knowledge of the students regarding

educational institution closure. This part consists of 19 questions where the participants must

rate how true each statement is to them based on using the Likert scale that ranges from 1 to

5.

Lastly, as for part D, it aims to identify the implementation of online learning of the

students. This part consists of 19 questions where the participants must rate how true each

statement is to them based on using the Likert scale that ranges from 1 to 4.

3.4 Unit of Analysis

This study will be targeting students who are currently pursuing their tertiary education

in Malaysia.

3.5 Sampling

The total population for this research is 150 participants, in which are students who are

currently pursuing their tertiary education. Based on the target population above, respondents

that are chosen are students between the ages of 18-30 years old, as this age spectrum is the

average age of students who are pursuing their tertiary education in Malaysia (Ang et al.,

2019).

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The inclusion criteria for this study is that the participants must be pursuing their tertiary

education in Malaysia, currently pursuing their pre-

university/diploma/undergraduate/masters/doctorate programme(s), and have English

comprehension skills. The exclusion criteria would be participants below the age of 18 and

above the age of 30, participants who are not pursuing their tertiary education in Malaysia,

participants who do not have English comprehension skills, and the students from Kolej

Universiti Poly-Tech MARA (KUPTM) Kuala Lumpur.

The type of sampling technique used for this study is convenience sampling.

Participants will be asked to participate through the researcher's personal social media

accounts such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram. All participants will be sent a link to a

Google Form, which begins with the participants' information sheet. They will be informed

about the purpose of the study, as well as their rights as participants and potential risks (if

any) about the research.

3.6 Data Collection Process

Before the questionnaire is distributed to the respondents, there is a procedure to be

followed before distributing it to the participants.

The researcher must identify which groups are compatible to be the population, and

also identify the sample for this research. Moving on, it is identified that the population for this

research is the students who are currently pursuing their tertiary education in Malaysia, while

the sample for this research is the students between the ages of 18-30 years old. After finding

out the population and group for this research, it is where the researcher must acquire an

approval letter from the lecturer for the questionnaire to be distributed to the participants after

the questionnaire for the research had already been approved by the lecturer. Once approval

from the lecturer is acquired, the questionnaire will be set to be distributed since this study is

using a quantitative method. The questionnaire would be created via Google Forms. All

participants will be sent a link to a Google Form via the researcher's personal social media

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accounts such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, as it will be more convenient and

efficient to reach the participants from the mentioned platforms. With that said, it is consistent

with the sampling technique of the study, which is convenience sampling.

3.7 Instrument Development

Instrument development explains the process of the creation of a questionnaire for this

research. The researcher creates a questionnaire based on the questionnaires that have been

created by past researchers, in order for it to be verified and reliable, and to prevent

inconsistencies that would make the questionnaire invalid.

This part also explains the curation of questionnaires based on the dependent variable

and independent variable of this research. For the dependent variable which is the

implementation of online learning, the questionnaire is extracted from the study conducted by

Surahman and Sulthoni (2020). The questionnaire’s purpose is to collect data about students’

satisfaction towards the quality of online learning in higher education during the COVID-19

pandemic. Moving on, the questionnaire is based on a 4-point Likert scale and consists of 19

items. Participants are asked to rate the items based on how true each statement is to them,

with scores of 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3 (disagree), and 4 (strongly disagree).

As for the independent variables, they are the Movement Control Order (MCO), and

educational institution closure. The Movement Control Order (MCO) is evaluated based on

the questionnaire in Peretti-Watel et al. (2021)’s study. The purpose of the questionnaire is to

collect data regarding the attitudes about COVID-19 lockdown among the general population.

The questionnaire is based on a 5-point Likert scale and consists of 14 items. Participants will

be asked to rate the items based on how true each statement is to them, with scores of 1

(strongly disagree), 2 (disagree), 3 (neutral), 4 (agree), and 5 (strongly agree).

Lastly, educational institution closure is evaluated based on the questionnaire

developed by Mirahmadizadeh et al. (2020)’s study. The purpose of the questionnaire is to

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obtain data regarding the students' attitudes and emotions towards the sudden closure of

schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The term “school closure” is replaced with

“educational institution closure” to fit the mentioned independent variable in the study. The

questionnaire is based on a 5-point Likert scale and it consists of 19 items. The participants

will be asked to rate the items based on how true each statement is to them, with scores of 1

(completely disagree), 2 (disagree), 3 (no opinion), 4 (agree), and 5 (completely agree).

3.7.1 Restructuring of Questionnaire

The questionnaires that will be used for this research were restructured by changing

the questionnaire items from question form to statement form to fit the study.

Part B: Movement Control Order (MCO)

No. Original Items Restructured Items

1 The lockdown is the only effective way The MCO is the only effective way to fight the

to fight the epidemic. COVID-19 pandemic.

2 The lockdown should last several The MCO should last several more months to

more weeks to be effective. be effective.

3 The lockdown should be strengthened The MCO should be strengthened to be

to be effective. effective.

4 The lockdown is disproportionate The MCO is disproportionate considering the

considering the real gravity of the real gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

epidemic.

5 The lockdown should be less coercive The MCO should be less coercive to be more

to be more acceptable. acceptable.

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6 The lockdown is the consequence of The MCO is the consequence of the lack of

the lack of hospital resources. hospital resources.

7 The lockdown could have been The MCO could have been avoided by the

avoided by the widespread wearing of widespread wearing of masks.

masks.

8 The lockdown could be replaced by The MCO could be replaced by mass

mass screening tests. screening tests.

9 The lockdown has already disastrous The MCO has already disastrous economic

economic consequences. consequences.

10 The lockdown will cause family The MCO will cause family tragedies.

tragedies.

11 The lockdown causes too much The MCO causes too much restriction on civil

restriction on civil liberties. liberties.

12 The lockdown is an opportunity to The MCO is an opportunity to develop local

develop local solidarity. solidarity.

13 Experiencing financial difficulties Experiencing financial difficulties because of

because of the lockdown. the MCO.

14 Confined in an overcrowded Confined in an overcrowded household during

household. MCO.

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Part C: Educational Institution Closure

No. Original Items Restructured Items

1 I look forward to the reopening of schools. I look forward to the reopening of

educational institutions.

2 I enjoy learning school lessons. I enjoy learning educational institution

lessons during MCO.

3 I enjoy dealing with study materials and No changes

lessons.

4 When I study, I get physically excited. No changes

5 I have an optimistic view of studying. No changes

6 I am optimistic that I will make good progress I am optimistic that I will make good

in my studies when schools reopen. progress in my studies when

educational institutions reopen.

7 I think I have the right to be happy with school I think I have the right to be happy with

closures. educational institution closures.

8 I'm glad that I don’t have to study. No changes

9 Because the amount of material is bothering Because the amount of material is

and frustrating me, I don't want schools to bothering and frustrating me, I don’t

open. want educational institutions to open.

10 I get angry if I have to read a lot. No changes

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11 I am so angry when I read that I like to throw No changes

the textbook out the window.

12 I get anxious when I look at the books I have I get anxious when I look at the books

to read when I start school. I have to read when I start going to

educational institutions.

13 My heart beats fast when I think of school. My heart beats fast when I think of

educational institutions.

14 Fear of schools not opening up scares me. Fear of educational institutions not

opening up scares me.

15 I am ashamed of my own happiness in No changes

postponing my studies.

16 I don't like going to school because when I I don’t like going to educational

don't know the answer to the question, I get institutions because when I don’t know

embarrassed. the answer to the question, I get

embarrassed.

17 Because I have a lot of problems with the Because I have a lot of problems with

curriculum, I don't like schools to open. the curriculum, I don’t like educational

institutions to open.

18 School lesson and material makes me so Educational institution lesson and

bored that I prefer schools to be closed. material makes me so bored that I

prefer them to be closed.

19 Studying is dull and boring. No changes

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Part D: The Implementation of Online Learning

No. Original Items Restructured Items

1 Satisfaction of online learning methods I’m satisfied with online learning methods

compared to face-to-face methods. compared to face-to-face methods.

2 Satisfaction in the online learning I’m satisfied with the online learning

experience. experience.

3 The ability to do online study I have the ability to do online study

assignments independently. assignments independently.

4 Activeness in participating in online I’m active in participating in online learning.

learning.

5 The level of enthusiasm for online I’m enthusiastic about online learning

learning compared to face-to-face compared to face-to-face learning.

learning.

6 Exploration of the benefits of using I explore the benefits of using technology for

technology for learning. learning.

7 The need for online learning time is The need for my online learning time is

longer than face-to-face. longer than face-to-face.

8 Flexibility in learning time in online I’m flexible in learning time in online

learning. learning.

9 Resources learn through online learning I prefer learning through online resources in

rather than face to face. online learning rather than face-to-face.

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10 The clarity of the lecture material in the The lecture material in online learning is

online method. clear.

11 Satisfaction with lecturer guidance I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ guidance

services. services.

12 Satisfaction with lecturer performance in I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ performance

using learning technology. in using learning technology.

13 Satisfaction with the clarity of I’m satisfied with the clarity of assignments

assignments given by the lecturer. given by the lecturer.

14 Satisfaction with lecturer feedback on the I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ feedback on

work done. the work done.

15 Ability to use technology to learn online. I have the ability to use technology to learn

online.

16 Ability to solve technical problems in I have the ability to solve technical problems

online learning. in online learning.

17 Availability of technology support for Technology support for online learning is

online learning. available to me.

18 Internet connection support is adequate My internet connection support is adequate

for online learning. for online learning.

19 Willingness of supporting software that is The institution is willing to provide

facilitated by the institution. supporting software for online learning.

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3.8 Pilot Test

Respondents with characteristics close to those of the survey's real respondents were

used in the pilot study. Students from Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA Kuala Lumpur

participated in the mentioned pilot study. A total of 52 people were chosen as respondents for

this investigation. The goal of the pilot research was to assess the reliability and validity of

each item in the study. This pilot study was conducted to determine whether the questionnaire

was simple to understand, relevant to the study's objectives, the appropriateness of the items

used in the study, the relevance of the items, and the accuracy of each question posted in the

instrument.

3.8.1 Frequency of Respondent Background for Pilot Test

This subtopic acknowledges the frequency of respondents who took part in the pilot

test of this survey. Table 3.1 reveals that male respondents accounted for 8 (15.4%) of the

total, while female respondents accounted for 44 (84.6%).

It reveals that 3 (5.7%) of the respondents were within the age of 18 years old. There

were 5 (9.6%) respondents around the age of 19 who were involved. Another 5 (9.6%) of the

respondents were 20 years old. 17 (32.7%) of the respondents 21 years old, which is the

highest percentage among the other age categories. The second most common age group

among the total respondents was 22 years old, which accounted for 15 (28.8%) of the total

respondents. 4 (7.7%) of the responders were within the age of 23. Meanwhile, just 1 (1.9%)

of the respondents was around the age of 27. Finally, 2 (3.8%) of the respondents were around

the age of 28.

As for the citizenship category, all 52 (100.0%) respondents for the pilot test were

Malaysians.

Furthermore, when it comes to ethnicity, Malay is the most common ethnic group

represented in the pilot study, with 49 (94.2%) respondents. 2 (3.8%) of the respondents were

Chinese, whereas 1 (1.9%) was Indian.

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As for the educational institution category, all 52 (100.0%) respondents for the pilot

test were from Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA (KUPTM).

Finally, 1 (1.9%) of respondents in the level of education group were enrolled in a pre-

university programme. 12 (23.1%) of respondents were enrolled in a diploma programme,

while 39 (75.0%) were enrolled in a bachelor's degree programme, which was the most

prominent between the other programmes among those who took part in the pilot study.

Table 3.1

Demography of Respondents (N = 52)

Demographic factors n %

Gender

i. Male 8 15.4

ii. Female 44 84.6

Age

i. 18 3 5.8

ii. 19 5 9.6

iii. 20 5 9.6

iv. 21 17 32.7

v. 22 15 28.8

vi. 23 4 7.7

vii. 27 1 1.9

viii. 28 2 3.8

Citizenship

i. Malaysian 52 100.0

ii. Non-Malaysian 0 0.0

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Ethnicity

i. Malay 49 94.2

ii. Chinese 2 3.8

iii. Indian 1 1.9

Educational Institution

i. KUPTM 52 100.0

Level of Education

i. Pre-University 1 1.9

ii. Diploma 12 23.1

iii. Bachelor’s Degree 39 75.0

3.8.2 Instrument Reliability

This study used Cronbach's alpha values to examine the reliability of the instrument.

These values can measure the internal consistency of the instruments used for the purpose

of this study. This study involved 3 variables, namely: Movement Control Order (MCO),

educational institution closure, and the implementation of online learning.

Table 3.2

Cronbach’s Alpha for Pilot Test Analysis

Variable Items α

i. Movement Control Order (MCO) 14 .88

ii. Educational Institution Closure 19 .86

iii. The Implementation of Online Learning 19 .97

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3.8.3 Inter-Item Correlation for MCO Variable

This section examines the relationships between items depending on one of the

study's variables. Overall, the MCO variable's item-to-item correlation was substantial and

acceptable for the purposes of this study. As a result, no modifications have been made for

this purpose. Table 3.3 summarizes the findings of the study.

Table 3.3.

Inter-Item Correlation for Movement Control Order (MCO) Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

The MCO is the only effective way to fight the COVID-19 .88*
pandemic.

The MCO should last several more weeks to be effective. .87*

The MCO should be strengthened to be effective. .87*

The MCO is disproportionate considering the real gravity .87*

of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MCO should be less coercive to be more acceptable. .87*

The MCO is the consequence of the lack of hospital .87*

resources.

The MCO could have been avoided by the widespread .87*

wearing of masks.

The MCO could be replaced by mass screening tests. .88*

The MCO has already disastrous economic .88*

consequences.

The MCO will cause family tragedies. .88*

The MCO causes too much restriction on civil liberties. .87*

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The MCO is an opportunity to develop local solidarity. .87*

Experiencing financial difficulties because of the MCO. .88*

Confined in an overcrowded household during MCO. .87*

3.8.4 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable

This section evaluated at correlations between items predicated on the study's

variable. Overall, the correlation between the items for the educational institution closure

variable was substantial and appropriate for this study's objective. As a result, no modifications

have been made for this purpose. Table 3.4 summarizes the findings of the study.

Table 3.4

Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

I look forward to the reopening of educational institutions. .87*

I enjoy learning educational institution lessons during MCO. .86*

I enjoy dealing with study materials and lessons. .86*

When I study, I get physically excited. .86*

I have an optimistic view of studying. .86*

I am optimistic that I will make good progress in my studies .86*

when educational institutions reopen.

I think I have the right to be happy with educational .86*

institution closures.

I’m glad that I don’t have to study. .85*

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Because the amount of material is bothering and frustrating .84*

me, I don’t want educational institutions to open.

I get angry if I have to read a lot. .85*

I am so angry when I read that I like to throw the textbook .84*

out the window.

I get anxious when I look at the books I have to read when .84*
I start going to educational institutions.

My heart beats fast when I think of educational institutions. .84*

Fear of educational institutions not opening up scares me. .85*

I am ashamed of my own happiness in postponing my .85*

studies.

I don’t like going to educational institutions because when I .85*

don’t know the answer to the question, I get embarrassed.

Because I have a lot of problems with the curriculum, I don’t .84*

like educational institutions to open.

Educational institution lessons and materials make me so .84*

bored that I prefer them to be closed.

Studying is dull and boring. .84*

3.8.5 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable

This section examines the relationships between items depending on one of the

study's variables. Overall, the implementation of online learning variable's item-to-item

correlation was substantial and acceptable for the purposes of this study. As a result, no

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modifications have been made for this purpose. Table 3.5 summarizes the findings of the

study.

Table 3.5

Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

I’m satisfied with online learning methods compared to .97*
face-to-face methods.
I’m satisfied with the online learning experience. .97*

I have the ability to do online study assignments .97*

independently.

I’m active in participating in online learning. .97*

I’m enthusiastic about online learning compared to face-to- .97*

face learning.

I explore the benefits of using technology for learning. .97*

The need for my online learning time is longer than face- .97*
to-face.

I’m flexible in learning time in online learning. .97*

I prefer learning through online resources in online .97*

learning rather than face-to-face.

The lecture material in online learning is clear. .97*

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ guidance services. .97*

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ performance in using .97*

learning technology.

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I’m satisfied with the clarity of assignments given by the .97*

lecturer.

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ feedback on the work done. .97*

I have the ability to use technology to learn online. .97*

I have the ability to solve technical problems in online .97*

learning.
Technology support for online learning is available to me. .97*

My internet connection support is adequate for online .97*

learning.

The institution is willing to provide supporting software for .97*

online learning.

3.9 Data Analysis

The test used for analyzing the data and calculating the obtained results was the

reliability test using the IBM SPSS Statistics application. As for the hypotheses, the ANOVA

test from the same application was used. This is due to the fact that all variables and objectives

mentioned for the study examine the relationship between the independent variables and the

dependent variable. One of the notable examples of this is determining the relationship

between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning. Other than that,

the objective of the study is to examine the relationship between the MCO and the

implementation of online learning. Lastly, is to investigate the relationship between the closure

of educational institutions and the implementation of online learning. With that said, the

mentioned test supplemented the study by testing the validity and reliability of the

questionnaires used and also justified the objectives stated. Hence, no changes were made

and they were accepted for this purpose.

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3.10 Summary

This chapter discusses the methodology, research design, type of research method,

unit of analysis, sampling, data collection method, instrument development, and restructuring

of the questionnaire.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Findings

4.1 Introduction

This chapter will be discussing data analysis, which focuses on the frequency of

respondents, reliability and validity analysis, and hypothesis testing.

4.2 Frequency of Respondents

This sub-topic discusses the frequency of the respondents who participated in this

study for the actual test. Table 4.1 shows that 49 (30.6%) of the respondents were male, while

111 (69.5%) of the respondents were female.

For the age category, Table 4.1 shows that 37 (23.2%) of the respondents were aged

between 18 and 20 years. For ages between 21 and 23, there were 95 (59.4%) of the

respondents involved. 28 (17.6%) of the respondents were aged between 24 and 30 years

old.

Besides that, as for the citizenship category, Table 4.1 shows that among the 160

respondents, 152 (9.5%) of them were Malaysian citizens. Meanwhile, there were 8 (5%) non-

Malaysian respondents, which comprised of 2 (1.3%) Indonesian citizens, 1 (0.6%) Japanese

citizen, 1 (0.6%) Pakistani citizen, 2 (1.3%) Filipino citizens, 1 (0.6%) Syrian citizen, and 1

(0.6%) Thai citizen, who were involved.

As for the category of ethnicity, it shows that 66 (41.3%) of the respondents were

Malay, 67 (41.9%) were Chinese, and 13 (8.1%) were Indians. The remaining balance, which

comprises of 2 Filipinos (1.3%), 1 (0.6%) Iban, 1 (0.6%) Japanese, 1 (0.6%), 4 (2.5%)

Kadazan-Dusun, 1 (0.6%) Melanau, 2 (1.2%) Pakistani, 1 (0.6%) Siamese, 1 (0.6%) Sri

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Lankan, and 1 (0.6%) Syrian, were all curated into one category as "Others," which in total

comprises of 14 (8.7%) respondents, to simplify the analysis of the actual test.

Moreover, as for the college/university name category, there were a total of 48 tertiary

education institutions where the respondents of this research were currently studying at. The

highest number of respondents came from one institution that participated in the study, with

24 (15%) respondents from Sunway University. This was followed by 14 (8.8%) respondents

from UiTM Shah Alam and 12 (7.5%) respondents from Taylor's University, marking as the

3rd major tertiary education institution where the respondents of this research were currently

studying at. The remaining number of respondents is comprised of respondents who are

studying in various tertiary education institutions across Malaysia, notably 2 (1.3%)

respondents from APU, 1 (0.6%) respondent from ARU Malaysia, 3 (1.9%) respondents from

BAC, 7 (4.4%) respondents from HELP University, 1 (0.6%) respondent from IACT College, 1

(0.6%) respondent from ICOM, 1 (0.6%) respondent from Ideas Academy, 3 (1.9%)

respondents from IIUM, 1 (0.6%) respondent from INTI International College, 1 (0.6%)

respondent from IPG, 1 (0.6%) respondent from IUMW, 2 (1.3%) respondents from MCKL, 1

(0.6%) respondent from MMMC, 4 (2.5%) respondents from MMU, 7 (4.4%) respondents from

Monash University, 1 (0.6%) respondent from MSU Shah Alam, 1 (0.6%) respondent from

Mukah Polytechnic, 1 (0.6%) respondent from Raffles College, 1 (0.6%) respondent from

Reading University, 4 (2.5%) respondents from SEGi University, 6 (3.8%) respondents from

Sunway College, 1 (0.6%) respondent from TARUC, 2 (1.3%) respondents from Taylor’s

College, 1 (0.6%) respondent from UiTM Dengkil, 2 (1.3%) respondents from UiTM Johor, 2

(1.3%) respondents from UiTM Kelantan, 1 (0.6%) respondent from UiTM Sabah, 1 (0.6%)

respondent from UiTM Segamat, 2 (1.3%) respondents from UKM, 7 (4.4%) respondents from

UM, 8 (5.0%) respondents from UMS, 2 (1.3%) respondents from UniMAP, 5 (3.1%)

respondents from UniSZA, 3 (1.9%) respondents from University of Nottingham, 1 (0.6%)

respondent from UNM, 1 (0.6%) respondent from OUW Malaysia KDU, 4 (2.5%) respondents

from UPM, 4 (2.5%) respondents from UPSI, 1 (0.6%) respondent from USIM, 4 (2.5%)

respondents from USM, 4 (2.5%) respondents from UTAR, 1 (0.6%) respondent from UTM, 1

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(0.6%) respondent from UTP, 1 (0.6%) respondent from UUM, and 1 (0.6%) respondent from

YPC International College. Due to various respondents participating from different UiTM

branches across Malaysia, the number of respondents was combined into UiTM to make the

reading of the data efficient. This method was also used for Taylor’s College & University, as

well as Sunway College & University, and categorized as Sunway and Taylor's, respectively,

to simplify the table and ease the reading of the data. Hence, the three major tertiary education

institutions are listed in Table 4.1, while the rest of the tertiary education institutions are

categorized as "Others" to simplify the table and data reading.

Lastly, as for the level of education category, the mentioned table shows that out of

the 160 respondents, 14 (8.8%) of the respondents are at pre-university level. For the diploma,

24 (15.%) of the respondents were involved. For a bachelor's degree, 110 (68.8%) of the

respondents were involved, while for a master's degree, only 10 (6.3%) of the group were

involved. Lastly, there were only 2 (1.3%) of the respondents who were at the doctorate level

of tertiary education.

Table 4.1

Demography of Respondents (N = 160)

Demographic factors n %

Gender

i. Male 49 30.6

ii. Female 111 69.4

Age

i. 18 7 4.4

ii. 19 10 6.3

iii. 20 20 12.5

iv. 21 29 18.1

v. 22 30 18.8

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vi. 23 36 22.5

vii. 24 11 6.9

viii. 25 8 5.0

ix. 26 3 1.9

x. 27 3 1.9

xi. 28 2 1.3

xii. 30 1 .6

Citizenship

i. Malaysian 152 95.0

ii. Non-Malaysian 8 5.0

Ethnicity

i. Malay 66 41.3

ii. Chinese 67 41.9

iii. Indian 13 8.1

iv. Others 14 8.7

Educational Institution

i. Sunway 30 18.8

ii. Taylor’s 14 8.8

iii. UiTM 21 13.2

iv. Others 95 59.2

Level of Education

i. Pre-University 14 8.8

ii. Diploma 24 15.0

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iii. Bachelor’s Degree 110 68.8

iv. Master’s Degree 10 6.3

v. Doctorate 2 1.3

4.3 Instrument Reliability

This study used Cronbach's alpha values to examine the reliability of the instrument.

These values can be used to measure the internal consistency of the instruments used for the

purpose of this study. This study involved three variables, namely the Movement Control

Order (MCO), college/university closure, and the implementation of online learning.

Table 4.2

Cronbach’s Alpha Analysis

Variables Items α

i. Movement Control Order (MCO) 14 .86

ii. College/University Closure 19 .93

iii. The Implementation of Online Learning 19 .96

4.3.1 Inter-Item Correlation for the Movement Control Order (MCO) Variable

This section discusses correlations between items based on the variable of this study.

Overall, the correlation between items for the MCO variable was significant and accepted for

the purpose of this study. Therefore, no changes have been made for this purpose. The

analysis is summarised in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3

Inter-Item Correlation for Movement Control Order (MCO) Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

The MCO is the only effective way to fight the COVID-19 .85*
pandemic.

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The MCO should last several more weeks to be effective. .85*

The MCO should be strengthened to be effective. .86*

The MCO is disproportionate considering the real gravity .85*

of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MCO should be less coercive to be more acceptable. .85*

The MCO is the consequence of the lack of hospital .85*

resources.

The MCO could have been avoided by the widespread .85*

wearing of masks.

The MCO could be replaced by mass screening tests. .86*

The MCO has already disastrous economic .86*

consequences.

The MCO will cause family tragedies. .86*

The MCO causes too much restriction on civil liberties. .86*

The MCO is an opportunity to develop local solidarity. .85*

Experiencing financial difficulties because of the MCO. .85*

Confined in an overcrowded household during MCO. .85*

4.3.2 Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable

This section discusses correlations between items based on the variable of this study.

Overall, the correlation between items for educational institution closure variable was

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significant and accepted for the purpose of this study. Therefore, no changes have been made

for this purpose. The analysis is summarised in Table 4.4.

Table 4.4

Inter-Item Correlation for Educational Institution Closure Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

I look forward to the reopening of educational institutions. .93*

I enjoy learning educational institution lessons during MCO. .93*

I enjoy dealing with study materials and lessons. .93*

When I study, I get physically excited. .93*

I have an optimistic view of studying. .93*

I am optimistic that I will make good progress in my studies .93*

when educational institutions reopen.

I think I have the right to be happy with educational .93*

institution closures.

I’m glad that I don’t have to study. .93*

Because the amount of material is bothering and frustrating .92*

me, I don’t want educational institutions to open.

I get angry if I have to read a lot. .92*

I am so angry when I read that I like to throw the textbook .92*

out the window.

I get anxious when I look at the books I have to read when .92*
I start going to educational institutions.

My heart beats fast when I think of educational institutions. .93*

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Fear of educational institutions not opening up scares me. .93*

I am ashamed of my own happiness in postponing my .93*

studies.

I don’t like going to educational institutions because when I .92*

don’t know the answer to the question, I get embarrassed.

Because I have a lot of problems with the curriculum, I don’t .92*

like educational institutions to open.

Educational institution lessons and materials make me so .92*

bored that I prefer them to be closed.

Studying is dull and boring. .92*

4.3.3 Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable

This section discusses correlations between items based on the variables of this study.

Overall, the correlation between items for the implementation of the online learning variable

was significant and accepted for the purpose of this study. Therefore, no changes have been

made for this purpose. The analysis is summarised in Table 4.5.

Table 4.5

Inter-Item Correlation for the Implementation of Online Learning Variable

Items Inter-Item Correlation

I’m satisfied with online learning methods compared to .96*
face-to-face methods.
I’m satisfied with the online learning experience. .96*

I have the ability to do online study assignments .96*

independently.

I’m active in participating in online learning. .96*

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I’m enthusiastic about online learning compared to face-to- .96*

face learning.

I explore the benefits of using technology for learning. .96*

The need for my online learning time is longer than face- .96*
to-face.

I’m flexible in learning time in online learning. .96*

I prefer learning through online resources in online .96*

learning rather than face-to-face.

The lecture material in online learning is clear. .96*

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ guidance services. .96*

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ performance in using .96*

learning technology.

I’m satisfied with the clarity of assignments given by the .96*

lecturer.

I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ feedback on the work done. .96*

I have the ability to use technology to learn online. .96*

I have the ability to solve technical problems in online .96*

learning.
Technology support for online learning is available to me. .96*

My internet connection support is adequate for online .96*

learning.

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The institution is willing to provide supporting software for .96*

online learning.

4.4 Hypothesis Testing

This part discusses hypothesis testing as below:

4.4.1 Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between Movement Control Order (MCO)

and the implementation of online learning

Hypothesis 1 discusses the relationship between MCO and the implementation of online

learning. Table 4.6 shows that there is a relationship between MCO and the implementation

of online learning. (r = -.425, p > 0.01). It shows that the MCO affects or contributes towards

the implementation of online learning as students had to undergo educational prowess online

due to the MCO or lockdown that has been announced by the Malaysian government to

combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Therefore, the hypotheses are failed to reject.

Table 4.6

The relationship between the MCO and the implementation of online learning

Movement Control Order (MCO) The Implementation of Online Learning

r -.425**

n 160

p .000

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

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4.4.2 Hypothesis 2: There is a relationship between the educational institution closure

and the implementation of online learning

Hypothesis 2 discusses the relationship between educational institution closure and the

implementation of online learning. Table 4.7 shows that there is a relationship between

educational institution closure and the implementation of online learning. (r = -.527, p > 0.01).

It shows that the educational institution closures affect or contribute towards the

implementation of online learning as students had to resume their educational prowess online

due to the closure of educational institutions that has been announced by the higher education

ministry and the Malaysian government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Therefore, the hypotheses are failed to reject.

Table 4.7

The relationship between the educational institution closure and the implementation of online

learning

Educational Institution Closure The Implementation of Online Learning

r -.527**

n 160

p .000

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

4.5 Chapter Summary

This chapter discusses the findings of the research-based hypothesis testing. Moving on, the

next chapter will be discussing the findings of the research based on literature review and

theory.

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Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction

On the basis of study findings, this chapter will be explored in depth. This chapter also

discusses related literature evaluations and theory based on findings. Finally, this chapter will

discuss the study's contribution and make recommendations for further research.

5.2 Discussion on the Findings

This part will be discussing the findings based on the objective of the research.

5.2.1 Objective 1: To determine the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and

the implementation of online learning.

Based on the findings, this research has successfully achieved the objective of the

research. The first objective of this study is to determine the relationship between the COVID-

19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning. The hypothesis is that there is a

relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning. This

is due to the fact that the said pandemic is the main reason for the emergence of the wide

implementation of online learning around the world; transitioning educational institutions to

cope with the mentioned pandemic by transitioning the classes and curriculums from face-to-

face learning to online learning. Lastly, this enabled students worldwide to resume their studies

despite the unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic, making their educational prowess

progressive and safe from the virus outbreak.

The findings reveal that there is a relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and

the implementation of online learning. Past researchers also found that there is a relationship

between the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of online learning, notably Allam et

al. (2020), Qureshi et al. (2020), Kurilovas & Kubilinskiene (2020), Palansamy (2020), Han

(2020), and Polstra (2020). Hence, this research has contributed to a new finding compared

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to past research, which has been doing the same interest as this research by providing new

updated data.

5.2.2 Objective 2: To examine the relationship between the MCO and the implementation

of online learning.

Secondly, the objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the

Movement Control Order (MCO) and the implementation of online learning. The hypothesis is

that there is a relationship between the MCO and the implementation of online learning. This

is because the MCO has affected educational institutions with restrictions by forcing face-to-

face learning to transition into online learning in order to curb the COVID-19 pandemic

emergence in Malaysia and to protect the students from the risk of infection from the

mentioned pandemic. Lastly, this decision by the government of Malaysia has helped in

curbing the infections nationwide by encouraging everyone to stay at home and resume their

work and studies remotely.

The findings show that there is a relationship between the MCO and the

implementation of online learning. Past researchers also found that there is a relationship

between the MCO and the implementation of online learning, notably Abdalqader et al. (2020),

and Salim et al. (2020). With that said, compared to previous study, this research has

contributed to a new finding by supplying new updated data, whereas previous research has

been doing the same interest as this research.

5.2.3 Objective 3: To investigate the relationship between the closure of the educational

institutions and the implementation of online learning.

Thirdly, the objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the closure

of educational institutions and the implementation of online learning. The hypothesis is that

there is a relationship between the closure of educational institutions and the implementation

of online learning. This is due to the fact that the closure of educational institutions ignited the

change of conventional learning, which was face-to-face learning, to online learning. Other

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than that, this has enabled educational institutions to prevent the risk of infections among

students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing an alternative way for students

around the world to resume their educational prowess by transitioning all courses to online or

remote learning. Lastly, this has enabled students to adapt to the progressive methods of

learning by embracing technology and digitalization more, which will be essential to them in

the future, despite the effect that has been caused by the mentioned virus outbreak.

The findings show that there is a relationship between the MCO and the

implementation of online learning. Past researchers also found that there is a relationship

between the closure of educational institutions and the implementation of online learning,

notably Litvinova et al. (2019), Engzell et al. (2021), Wu et al. (2020), Wu & McGoogan (2020),

and Zhao et al. (2020). Therefore, In comparison to earlier research, this study has contributed

to a new finding by providing new updated data, although previous research has been

pursuing the same goal.

5.3 Contribution to the Theory

The theory that is related with this research is the Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

Theory by Linda Harasim. Students with diverse skill sets collaborate in small groups to attain

a common goal, according to this theory. Online collaborative learning (OCL) is a technique

that transforms collaborative learning from face-to-face to online, according to this theory.

Furthermore, as a result of OCL, the pupils' academic performance increased. More research

into the impact of OCL on various educational levels was also suggested. The use of online

collaboration to assist group work was linked to increased levels of knowledge transfer among

participants. In the majority of previous studies, it has been widely considered as an effective

learning paradigm that has a positive impact on students' academic achievement.

Based on the new data from the study, there are new contributions that can be linked

with the said theory that emphasises the implementation of online learning, which is linked

with online collaborative learning (OCL). These new findings show that online collaborative

learning can be essential at unprecedented times, such as the emergence of virus outbreaks

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and other natural disasters. Moreover, online collaborative learning can be used as an

alternative way to resume students’ academic journey when educational institution closures

occur. With collaborating in learning online, this comes to fruition how students and lecturers

can be progressive by adapting to new technologies that will be essential for them to resume

their studies and work. Based on the results of the data gathered for this research, it shows

that a fraction of students do prefer learning face-to-face but are affected by the ongoing

pandemic. Hence, resuming studies online is the only alternative way for them to continue with

their educational prowess.

With that being said, this reveals that the firmer the government of Malaysia

implements Movement Control Order (MCO), the fewer students will be interested in partaking

educational courses online.

5.4 Implication of the Study

While conducting this research, there were a lot of implications that the researcher

obtained. Firstly, the researcher suggests to the relevant authorities or the government of

Malaysia that they create a new effective policy regarding the issue that is related to the topic.

This is due to the fact that after the researcher has obtained the findings, it clearly shows that

the students have been affected drastically by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has led

to the implementation of online learning. Because of this, the government or relevant

authorities such as the higher education ministry should create a policy that would help

students and respondents fulfil their educational prowess not just through online learning but

also through conventional learning or face-to-face learning. With that said, the implementation

of hybrid classes should be looked into as an alternative way for students to resume their

studies.

Besides that, the researcher has obtained new data that can be linked to the said

pandemic. The researcher suggests that the government of Malaysia expand and increase

the rate of vaccination against COVID-19 in order for students to resume classes not just

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online but also face-to-face. Therefore, this would enable educational institutions to eventually

implement hybrid learning, which combines online learning with face-to-face learning.

Moreover, due to the new data and knowledge that the researcher has obtained from

the findings, this would enable the study to give guidance to past researchers on this topic, as

well as to future researchers. This study shows that other variables can be related to the study

as the mentioned pandemic is still ongoing. Besides that, this study doesn’t just give

opportunities to past and future researchers to contribute to this study, but also enables them

to conduct the study across the world, not just in Malaysia.

Relating to the new knowledge obtained by the researcher, the researcher found out

that there are a lot of opinions from past researchers that the current researcher can gain

knowledge from by looking at the past researchers’ studies. This is due to the fact that every

opinion of the past researchers helps in getting a clearer view on what the current researcher

of this study can impact on the topic. Due to this, the researcher needed to find a lot of articles

to investigate further in-depth the study that is being conducted by them. This was done by

obtaining a lot of articles from past researchers that were related to the study that contributed

to making the study reliable and valid.

5.5 Recommendations for the Future Research

Based on this research, the current researcher recommends future researchers to look

at a variety of pertinent aspects if they plan to continue with this study in the future. This is

because there will be various words in this research that are complex for a student to

comprehend. As a result, they should anticipate the outcome before proceeding with the study.

Furthermore, in order for students to grasp and relate to the topics, future researchers

must ensure that the questionnaires they will use for this research are less and more relevant

to the future prospects of the topics. It is because when respondents understand the

questions, it'll be easier for them to respond to the survey, which will allow researchers to

precisely analyze their research and determine whether it's valid and reliable or not.

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Finally, if future researchers want to go deeper into this topic, the current researcher

would advise using a qualitative data gathering approach, as the current findings of this study

were gathered via a quantitative method. As a result, future researchers will be able to gain

new findings in the context of a larger picture. Rather than waiting for respondents to

completely fill out the questionnaire provided when using the quantitative method, the said

qualitative method of data collection can be conducted by using face-to-face methods such as

interviews to elicit answers from future respondents that will contribute to future findings.

5.6 Summary

This is a detailed discussion based on research findings. This chapter also explains

related findings-based literature reviews and theory. Lastly, this chapter will include the

contribution of the study and recommendations for future research.

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Zhao, J., Yuan, Q., Wang, H., Liu, W., Liao, X., Su, Y., Wang, X., Yuan, J., Li, T., Li, J., Qian,

S., Hong, C., Wang, F., Liu, Y., Wang, Z., He, Q., Li, Z., He, B., Zhang, T., & Zhang,

Z. (2020). Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with novel Coronavirus

DISEASE 2019. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71(16), 2027–2034.

https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa344

Zhu, C. (2012). Student Satisfaction, Performance, and Knowledge Construction in Online

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136. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/75287/

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Appendix A

Weeks of School Closure (UNESCO)

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Appendix B

Demographic Background Questionnaire

Part A: Demographic Background

Instruction: Choose the answer that best describes your situation.

1. Please state your gender.

a. Male

b. Female

2. How old are you?

3. Are you a Malaysian citizen?

a. Yes

b. No (please specify)

4. Please state your ethnicity.

a. Malay

b. Chinese

c. Indian

d. Others (please specify)

5. Which college/university are you currently studying at?

6. What is your current level of tertiary education?

a. Pre-University

b. Diploma

c. Bachelor’s Degree

d. Master’s Degree

e. Doctorate

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Appendix C

Movement Control Order (MCO) Questionnaire

Part B: Movement Control Order (MCO)

Instruction: Please rate how true each statement are to you based on the 5-point Likert scale

(1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly agree)

Questionnaire 1 2 3 4 5

1. The MCO is the only effective way to fight the COVID-

19 pandemic.

2. The MCO should last several more weeks to be

effective.

3. The MCO should be strengthened to be effective.

4. The MCO is disproportionate considering the real

gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The MCO should be less coercive to be more

acceptable.

6. The MCO is the consequence of the lack of hospital

resources.

7. The MCO could have been avoided by the widespread

wearing of masks.

8. The MCO could be replaced by mass screening tests.

9. The MCO has already disastrous economic

consequences.

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10. The MCO will cause family tragedies.

11. The MCO causes too much restriction on civil

liberties.

12. The MCO is an opportunity to develop local solidarity.

13. Experiencing financial difficulties because of the

MCO.

14. Confined in an overcrowded household during MCO.

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Appendix D

Education Institution Closure Questionnaire

Part C: Educational Institution Closure

Instruction: Please rate how true each statement are to you based on the 5-point Likert scale

(1 = Completely disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = No opinion, 4 = Agree, 5 = Completely agree)

Questions 1 2 3 4 5

1. I look forward to the reopening of educational

institutions.

2. I enjoy learning educational institution lessons during

MCO.

3. I enjoy dealing with study materials and lessons.

4. When I study, I get physically excited.

5. I have an optimistic view of studying.

6. I am optimistic that I will make good progress in my

studies when educational institutions reopen.

7. I think I have the right to be happy with educational

institution closures.

8. I’m glad that I don’t have to study.

9. Because the amount of material is bothering and

frustrating me, I don’t want educational institutions to

open.

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10. I get angry if I have to read a lot.

11. I am so angry when I read that I like to throw the

textbook out the window.

12. I get anxious when I look at the books I have to read

when I start going to educational institutions.

13. My heart beats fast when I think of educational

institutions.

14. Fear of educational institutions not opening up scares

me.

15. I am ashamed of my own happiness in postponing my

studies.

16. I don’t like going to educational institutions because

when I don’t know the answer to the question, I get

embarrassed.

17. Because I have a lot of problems with the curriculum, I

don’t like educational institutions to open.

18. Educational institution lessons and materials make

me so bored that I prefer them to be closed.

19. Studying is dull and boring.

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Appendix E

The Implementation of Online Learning Questionnaire

Part D: The Implementation of Online Learning

Instruction: Please rate how true each statement are to you based on the 4-point Likert scale

(1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Disagree, 4 = Strongly Disagree)

Questions 1 2 3 4

1. I’m satisfied with online learning methods compared to face-

to-face methods.

2. I’m satisfied with the online learning experience.

3. I have the ability to do online study assignments

independently.

4. I’m active in participating in online learning.

5. I’m enthusiastic about online learning compared to face-to-

face learning.

6. I explore the benefits of using technology for learning.

7. The need for my online learning time is longer than face-to-

face.

8. I’m flexible in learning time in online learning.

9. I prefer learning through online resources in online learning

rather than face-to-face.

10. The lecture material in online learning is clear.

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11. I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ guidance services.

12. I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ performance in using learning

technology.

13. I’m satisfied with the clarity of assignments given by the

lecturer.

14. I’m satisfied with the lecturers’ feedback on the work done.

15. I have the ability to use technology to learn online.

16. I have the ability to solve technical problems in online

learning.

17. Technology support for online learning is available to me.

18. My internet connection support is adequate for online

learning.

19. The institution is willing to provide supporting software for

online learning.

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