Exploring EFL Learners' Attitudes towards Online Learning during Covid19 Pandemic Lockdown

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the temporary physical closure of higher education institutions all over the world. During this period, Algerian universities have been required to undertake distant and online teaching and learning. Thus, in order to maintain both academic achievement and keep teachers and learners safe and healthy, Abderhamane Mira University of Bejaia has implemented E-learning as an alternative learning and teaching measure. This present study aims to investigate EFL learners’ attitude towards online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown period and shed light on the problems that students encounter during online learning. The present study is an attempt to investigate EFL learners’ attitudes whether positive or negative towards online learning during the pandemic lockdown period online. In other words, this research tries to demonstrate the challenges of distance learning in Algerian higher education. This study was conducted using a questionnaire designed as a research instrument to collect data. The findings of this study reveal that most students hold a negative attitude towards online learning and prefer traditional (face-to-face) learning due to various problems they face while distance learning, such as lack of communication and interaction with teachers, lack of understanding of the material, and feeling unmotivated to take courses online.