University Students’ Readiness for Online Learning in the Context of Emergency Remote Learning: A Comparison of Students’ Preparedness and Lecturers’ Views

Due to concerns related to the increasing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), from March 2020, traditional face-to-face classes at all educational levels in Jamaica were replaced with online teaching and learning. This convergent mixed methods study compared university students’ reported readiness for engaging in online learning within this context, with lecturers’ views of the challenges that students experienced with the transition to emergency remote learning. Quantitative data were collected from 132 university students in one department using an online survey, while qualitative data were collected from nineteen lecturers who taught a total of forty courses within the same department using a questionnaire that was disseminated via email. One key finding is that most students reported being technologically prepared, but exhibited poor technical aptitude, online study skills and weak online learning lifestyles that are required for engaging in online learning. This finding was corroborated by lecturers who also noted that some students appeared to be unfamiliar with technology tools. The findings suggest that instruction should be organized in ways that accommodate students’ technical challenges. However, it is imperative that there is shared collaboration and a community endeavour to improve students’ technical aptitude, study habits and learning lifestyle for improved online learning readiness.