Approaching literary texts via online learning during COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan: Challenges and obstacles

Abstract

This study investigates students’ attitude toward using asynchronous and synchronous online learning in reading literary texts at the University of Jordan-Aqaba. It examines how certain demographic variables, including gender, place of residence and the available technological means, affect their attitudes towards such a learning method in the Jordanian context. A descriptive, analytic design was used to explore students’ reception and acceptance of learning via online platforms. One hundred and forty two students majoring in English Literature from the University of Jordan-Aqaba participated in the questionnaire. We used a simple random sampling (SRS) in which each member of the population had an equal chance to respond. We distributed a questionnaire of 23 statements to participants on December 11th, 2020, via Microsoft Forms. The statements were in a multiple-choice format, using Likert scale’s five levels. This study concludes that there is no statistically significant differences at (a≤0.05) among students’ attitudes towards using online learning that can be attributed to gender, place of living, and technological tools. Though, we argue that the high number of students using mobile phone has contributed to their moderate response towards the shift to online learning. While this paper is a case study that does not intend to generalize, interrogating the efficacy of online learning is essential in understanding ethical and professional issues that may arise in the learning process. It also helps us forge new ways to deal with these issues in the future.