Impact of Online Learning on Learners’ Self-Reported Satisfaction in L2 during COVID-19: A University Level Scenario

Abstract

In the wake of COVID-19, and to counter this horrible pandemic, the government of Pakistan introduced the policyof strictlockdownandtocontinue teaching/learningactivities, onlineteaching/learning systemwas introducedin the higher educational institutes, especially in the public and private sector universities which were already devoid of cybernetic milieus. The aim ofthis was to explore the impact of online learning on learners’ self-reported satisfaction in L2 during COVID-19 in the universities of the Punjab. This research uses mixed method type and in this context a students’ questionnaire was circulated online among students and around 500 out of 800 students responded. Most ofthe respondents indicated thatthey findcomplications andproblemsaboutthe course contentsprojected foronlinelearning inthewakeofCOVID-19pandemic as thesecontentsaresuitedinface tofaceclassroomsettings and if, unfortunately this pandemic situation lasts for a long period of time the revision of the L2 course contents is inevitable otherwise the
performance of the students will decrease rapidly. Similarly, a number of challenges were reported from the research population aboutthe second question ofresearch, as the major part ofthe population lives in villages, desserts, and hilly areas by which their socio-economic condition usually remains very low by which the students of these areas are devoid ofeconomicandsocialresources toprovidethemselves internetfacilities, smart phones and laptops that are inevitableto their online learning. Most of the foreign language learners during their online classes remained absent and the have different reasons inthis context and theirreportedproficiency invarious segments i.e.inassignments, presentations and quizzes program remained lesser as they were showing in traditional classroom environment. The outcomes from the research will be of great importance to the federal and provincial ministries of education, universities administrators, teachers and students in taking future emergency decisions relating to the execution of online learning programs for students in general and L2 learners in particular.