A Study on Middle School Students’ Perceptions on Remote English Learning During COVID-19

The world has experienced an unprecedented era for education being conducted online due to COVID-19. Thus, this study explored South Korea’s middle school students’ perception of emergent remote English learning (EREL) in terms of satisfaction, interest, self-directed learning, achievement, and interaction during the pandemic. Valid data from 263 participants were collected from the survey conducted in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. SPSS was used to conduct descriptive analysis, frequency analysis, and an independent sample t-test. This study’s findings showed that participants are generally satisfied with EREL because of convenience, a sufficient amount of material covered, the possibility of self-paced learning, and a high level of interaction between teachers. Participants also revealed a high level of interest in EREL because of the contents provided through multimedia and added that they were able to enhance their abilities to use mobile devices through EREL. However, participants responded that EREL lowered their concentration in class due to the lack of interaction with their peers, decreasing their interest in the learning process. Thus, the quality of EREL must be enhanced for them to focus more on learning through carefully designed courses that include collaborative activities, interesting learning materials, and an appropriate assessment approach for EREL.