Attitudes toward active learning in online learning in COVID-19:

Preference for online learning

Abstract

In the first semester of the 2020 academic year, many universities and junior colleges in Japan were affected by COVID-19 and had to switch to non-in-person classes. This study explored active learning attitudes in online classes. The survey was conducted in two sessions (late June and mid-August). Participants (489 undergraduate and junior college students) completed a questionnaire and the results showed that students’ attitudes toward active learning and preference for online learning did not dramatically change during this period. In order to obtain insights into the changes in attitudes toward active learning, the present study used a multiple-population analysis to examine the relationship between attitude and an item related to preferences for online learning. The results showed that there was a positive association between preferences for online learning and active learning among first-year students, but not among second-year students and above. The influence of online learning needs to be considered particularly as regards first-year students.